This is your welcome to Clinton Hill, Brooklyn: a guide to one of the loveliest, most historic enclaves of NYC! Home to our bakery at 936 Fulton Street since 2014, Clinton Hill is a charming residential area of Brooklyn with a college-town feel. With real historic street cred and some famous residents, we’re excited to show you around our neighborhood!
3 MINUTE READ
This guide to Clinton Hill Brooklyn includes:
Where to find Clinton Hill in Brooklyn, NYC
An overview of the vibe of Clinton Hill as a neighborhood
What makes Clinton Hill, Brooklyn special!
Now lace up your comfy walking shoes and grab a coffee, and let us guide you around Clinton HIll, Brooklyn!
First things first: Where is Clinton Hill Brooklyn?
What part of Brooklyn is Clinton Hill? Let us guide you to north Brooklyn, just south of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and just above Prospect Heights. Between Fort Greene and Bedford-Stuyvesant, Clinton Hill is so-called because it rests at a relatively higher elevation than surrounding neighborhoods: 95 feet above sea level. Fun fact: this actually elevated the neighborhood’s status once upon a time. It was believed that the high elevation was better for one’s health than the low-lying surrounding areas.
Now, what is Clinton Hill Brooklyn like?
Is Clinton Hill Brooklyn a good neighborhood? It is a great neighborhood. Let me count the ways:
Historic Rowhouses: The Clinton Hill brownstones have been a draw for affluent New Yorkers and families for over a hundred years. The Clinton Hill Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. When were Clinton Hill houses built? Many of the famous rowhouses were constructed in the 1860s.
Gilded Age Mansions: following the rowhouses, notable mansions rose up for wealthy Gilded Age Brooklynites: Charles Erhart, co-founder of Pfizer; oil executive Charles Pratt; and John Thomas Underwood, founder of Underwood Typewriter Company. Today’s Underwood Park is located on the site of Underwood’s former mansion.
College-town feel: Clinton Hill Brooklyn is home to the Pratt Institute Brooklyn campus, founded in 1887. Prestigious! In addition to Pratt Institute, Clinton Hill is also home to the Brooklyn campus of St. Joseph’s University, and both college campuses consist of many of the historically notable buildings in the neighborhood.
Beginning in the 1900s, more large apartment buildings sprang up around the neighborhood, attracting those who sought the quiet pace of Clinton Hill Brooklyn, something that resonates even today with those who are charmed by the artsy and academic vibe, residential slow pace, and the many restaurants in Clinton Hill Brooklyn.
What is Clinton Hill famous for?
Well, as you know, Clinton Hill is named after former New York Governor DeWitt Clinton, who was largely credited with the creation of the Erie Canal. Pretty impressive namesake! But he’s not the only big name associated with the the neighborhood:
The Notorious B.I.G. - Christopher George Latore Wallace aka Biggie Smalls.
Actresses Rosie Perez and Susan Sarandon both call Clinton Hill home
Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe lived in Clinton Hill back in 1967
American poet Walt Whitman wrote his famous tome Leaves of Grass while living on Ryerson Street in Clinton Hill!
Clinton Hill Brooklyn was also home to some important local politicians. Letitia James – Attorney General of New York – and Mary Pinkett, the first black New York City councilwoman.
Wanna know something really sweet? 275 Park Avenue in Clinton Hill was once a chocolate factory that produced Tootsie Rolls! If you’re looking to move to Clinton Hill, you can actually live in the lofts located in the old chocolate factory – and if you’re looking for some sweet treats in Clinton Hill, be sure to visit our bakery at 936 Fulton Street to say hello and sample our beloved favorites and rotating specials to suit all tastes! And for more things to do in Brooklyn, check out this helpful guide to discover our favorites.
