The Kings Highway Dutch Reform Church:
A Brooklyn Historical Landmark




The Dutch Reform Church of Flatlands is quitely tucked just out of sight of the Busy Flatbush Ave throughway, one block East on Kings Highway and East 40th Street. This Church was one of the two Brooklyn Dutch Reform Churches Organized under orders of Peter Stuyvesant. The other is the the Flatbush Dutch Reform Church. The Flatlands church was formed under the Revrand Johannes Megapolenis in 1654. By the time of the American Revolution and the Battle of Brooklyn, it was over 100 years old.

As Brooklyn Archeologist, Arthur Bankoff, mentioned in his Brooklyn On Line interview, Brooklyn in this period was a pioneer and farming community. The Flatlands Dutch Reform Church was a center of Pioneer Life in Flatlands. It's cemetery dates back to the beginning of European civilization in the "New World" Many of the Tombstones are written in Dutch, and not until the mid 1800's does English become common on the grave markers.

This Stone, for example, is not as difficult to read because of the wear and age of the stone, as much as it is written in DUTCH! Dated to 1767, it is one of dozens of markers here which predate the Declaration of Independence. The Family name of the person was Schenek, one of the common names in Dutch Brooklyn which rings in our streets and institutions. [ Picture of Gravestone ]



[Main] [BBS] [Community] [Neighborhoods] [Fun] [News] [Chat] [Classifieds] [History] [Shop] [Mybrooklyn] [Mycard] [Advertise] [Health]