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From The Brooklyn Daily Eagle Archives: OH!
Ever had one of those moments when you see something you have walked by many times in a totally new light? This week I just such an experience. And it all started at 10 Bushwick Place.
By north Brooklyn standards this building is not terribly remarkable. In fact they’re a dime a dozen. Until you take a closer look; that’s when it starts to get intriguing.
This facility was once the bottling plant for the Hittleman Brewery. While this is interesting in and of itself, the juicy stuff lies just around the corner on Meserole Street.
One bigass brewery. I have walked down Meserole Street. I have walked down Bushwick Place. Numerous times. But until last weekend I had never walked down Bushwick Place and this stretch of Meserole Street in a single clip. Which leads me to my discovery.
No, it wasn’t this ice plant (as nifty as it is).
This.
Or even this. Romanesque architecture was all the rage in the late 19th century. While the typography is enjoyable, it was not what piqued my interest.
Rather, it was what I found next door that motivated me to get my cybersleuth on.
“OH”.
Not much to go on, you say? Actually it was terrifyingly easy to learn what (or in this case, who) these letters refer to. All I had to do is Google “Hittleman Brewery”. Per NY Food Museum:
A German immigrant, Otto Huber, Sr., who had worked for other breweries in Brooklyn, established his own plant in the late 1860s. He purchased the Hoerger Brewery in 1866 and built the new plant, which became one of the largest and most productive breweries in Brooklyn. After his death in 1889*, his sons, Otto, Jr., Joseph, Charles, and Max, managed the company and it remained a family enterprise until the 1920s when it was sold to Edward Hittleman, who renamed the brewery after himself. Hittleman produced near beer until repeal of Prohibition, and in 1934 he changed the name of the company to Hittleman-Goldenrod Brewery. Goldenrod was a traditional brand name dating to the Huber brewery. After being renamed Edelbrau after a popular beer, it was finally changed to Edelbrew in 1946. Not long after Hittleman’s death in 1951 at age sixty-eight, the brewery closed.
“O” + “H” = Otto Huber. And, as I learned from this article dating from the December 20, 1896 edition of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, “O.H.” means oh so much more:
You can read this article in its entirety by clicking here. Be advised it is a rather lengthy read (~1,200 words give or take), but well worth the extra time. (The man made a lot of beer. Seriously.) In closing, here are a few more things I learned during my research.
1. The business office for Otto Huber’s brewery was located at 1 Bushwick Place.
2. A saloon was on the premises. Judging from what is extant today I would hazard to guess this (which is conveniently located across the street from 1 Bushwick Place) was it.
3. The more eagle-eyed among you might have noticed what is inscribed on the chimney in the background.
I have. Especially since there is something a mere stone’s throw away that bears a similar inscription.
But that is the stuff of another post (which I have already started researching, lest you are wondering). When you (and you know who you are) kick back and enjoy a tall frosty one this balmy weekend why not give a toast to Otto Huber? The man who gave us “OH”!
Miss Heather
*This is a factual error: Otto Huber died in 1890. Here’s his funeral announcement from the March 23, 1890 edition of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
People In Our Neighborhood: 128 Beadel Street Speaks!
On July 8, 2009 a missive entitled “128 Beadel Street” from a gentleman named Waldemar found its way to my inbox. He wrote:
Hey it’s Waldemar @ 128. Pass by and check out my Weeping Wall both day and nite and feel free to snap a few shots. For nite shots it’s best after 8PM.
Well, I have yet to make it over to see the Weeping Wall after dark— but I did swing one afternoon earlier this week. What’s more, I met the man behind the Weeping Wall himself: Waldemar!
Not only was he gracious to talk to me for the better part of an hour, but he took me on a guided tour of his home! He is easily as fascinating — if not more so— than the fabulous oasis he has created. Follow are some highlights from our meeting.
HOW HE CAME TO ACQUIRE 128 BEADEL STREET
Using Chinese Astrology (and zero credit) Waldemar landed this house in 1991 (year of the sheep). Twelve years later (2003, once again year of the sheep) he acquired the property next door: 130 Beadel Street (which he has since turned around and sold—but not before giving the front door his personal touch).
Waldemar explained to me that the year of the sheep is a particularly auspicious year to purchase property. He is also resolute in his belief that this is how he avoided the sub-prime mortgage crisis. Who am I to argue? Whatever system he has created appears to be working!
He went on to explain he did not want this house to be acquired by people who reside at 132 Beadel, whom he referred to as his “enemies”. He did not go into any details as to why there is acrimony between him and these folks and I did not ask. Although I suspect his aesthetic sense probably has something to do with it.
For example, he told me that a number of his neighbors took issue with the dragons gracing his front door. They felt these bad boys— not Beadel Street’s remote location, being positioned on top of the infamous “oil spill” or possibly being located atop the Meeker Avenue plume— were discouraging prospective buyers from purchasing a house on this block. Then he continued his discourse on Chinese Astrology:
Mike Bloomberg is a horse. Horses like to take things away from one person and give them to another. They think this makes them look generous. While the city suffers he is getting richer and richer.
I can’t honestly argue with that. Then I made the mistake of telling Waldemar my Chinese zodiac sign: year of the dog.
Dogs and Horses are friends.*
He said. To wit I replied:
Michael Bloomberg is not my friend. What’s more, I do not think anyone earning under $200,000 a year is his friend.
A LITTLE MORE ABOUT WALDEMAR
- He is fifty years old and retired.
- He is single.
- He is very food-conscious. Not only is he a vegan, but he refrains from eating tomatoes or citrus (which he believes to be poisonous). He will only eat his own home-cooking.
- He makes his own lychee-infused vodka, which he assures me is quite delicious.
- He is an animal lover.
It all started with a litter mate of this lovely lass:
Her brother was diagnosed with leukemia so Waldemar took him in. He has since passed but Waldemar now counts a parakeet (he rescued from horrific conditions) and a thirty pound cat named “Vandervoort” as roommates. On top of that he has made a number of other feline friends.
Like this feral fella who likes to lounge on his stoop.
And this urban tigress who belongs to his next door neighbor (who is not his enemy). He has made special beds for his kitty callers and sometimes places them out for them to enjoy.
INSIDE CASA DE WALDEMAR
It is a living extension its owner: filled with fascinating objects from a life lived to the fullest. Take these cylindrical “core sample” looking thingamajigs. He explained to me that when he worked at World Trade Center and they needed to install telephone lines they had to bore a hole through the floor to run the cables through. These are the byproducts of this practice. He likes to use them as paperweights. He sent the one in the middle to his mother in Puerto Rico. She didn’t much fancy it so she sent it back. It just goes to show beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
And on that note I will close with a slide show showcasing the numerous items of interest I saw at Waldemar’s chateau. A domicile— I will add— that is actually two apartments which he alone inhabits.
If I don’t need tenants, I don’t want ’em.
Who can argue with that?
Enjoy!
As we parted ways Waldemar confided in me that he rarely goes out anymore.
Maybe once or twice a week…
he said and then he pointed back at his front door
…I have a whole world in there.
Not only is this true, I can personally attest it is a very wonderful one at that!
Miss Heather
*Clarification per Waldemar:
…regarding my statement about the do and horse being friends, it only means that for example the year of the Horse is good for you and what people born under that sign do, benefits you by bringing the best out of you. So in your case, the worst Mayor Bloomberg does the more material that will come your way. (Man is he ever right there— Ed. Note) By the way 2010 the year of the tiger is your other good year, And I predict much success for you and your site.
Video Credit: Waldemar
North Brooklyn Street Art Du Jour: Potpourri
Kent Avenue
Berry Street
South 3 Street
Boerum Street
Harrison Place
Grattan Street
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Starter: Domesticity Al Fresco
Filed under: Bum Shit, Dung of the Day, Greenpoint Magic, Street Furniture, Williamsburg
West Street
Green Street
South 5 Street
North 5 Street
North 9 Street
Norman Avenue
Judge Street
Graham Avenue
Franklin Street
RHComics (who contributed the above photograph: writes:
Unfortunately it’s time for me to move on. The 11222 offers a small variety of shack or dump and occasionally a one bedroom (with a shower in the kitchen and a toilet on a different floor) within my price range. All very tempting but I’ve reluctantly decided to return to Queens, the land of my birth.
New York Shitty will continue to be a daily read for me, unless the memories become too painful to bear. In closing here is a picture i took of a pile of shit someone left on top of a VCR Sunday morning on the corner of Newel and Norman.
This makes me sad. Inasmuch as some say the rents are falling here (and to some extent they are) the fact of the matter is they are still WAY above their fair market value. To close on related note if you want to see something that will bring you to point of tears (either via laughter or abject sadness) click here.
Miss Heather
East Williamsburg Photo Du Jour: Montrose Avenue
I’m not too sure what kind of merchandise/services the “Holy Ghost Rebel Corporation” offers but I’m happy to see they recycle! A LOT.
Miss Heather
North Brooklyn’s Newest Park!
Filed under: Williamsburg
(Or: A Modest Proposal)
An area I am particularly fond of knocking around in East Williamsburg is the Grand Street stop of the L. This isn’t because it is particularly nice (it isn’t). Rather, I find the industrial and residential patchwork of this community fascinating. I never know what I’ll find. This was especially true of my last trip down Grand Street. It was at 910 (just east of Bushwick Avenue) where I found the following.
Hmm, this must be some of that affordable housing I have heard so much about?
I thought to myself.
It isn’t.
It’s a park.
And a pretty nice one at that!
There was nary a dog turd, drunken horde of rowdy teens or trace of corporate sponsorship to be found. In regards to the latter most, maybe there should be? A number of you, dear readers, are probably aware that the Parks Department is in dire financial straits nowadays. This is one of the reasons why they’re trying to sell the naming rights to the McCarren Park Pool. Some of my fellow citizens have cried foul over this. I say the Parks Department is not going far enough.
I would like to humbly recommend that our fair city enlist some corporate sponsors partners to build a dozen of these bad boys and station them around north Brooklyn. Hell, the Transmitter Park site is available and 65 Commercial Street, being a parking lot, would be ideally suited for one or two of these portable oases. The possibilities for directly advertising services of special interest to the residents of 11222, 11211 and 11206 are endless! 1-888-bunion-1, bedbug extermination services and of course my good friend Hongo Killer immediately come to mind.
Miss Heather
Williamspoint Photos Du Jour: A Selection of Street Seating
North 6 Street
Meadow Street
Metropolitan Avenue
Jackson Street
Milton Street
Huron Street
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Ender: Signs Of The Times
From the 8th Avenue bound platform of the L train at Montrose Avenue.
Miss Heather
NYS Flickr Pool
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