Regarded as United States? pioneering suburban residential district, Brooklyn Heights gives both residents and visitors an immersive experience among beautifully made brownstones and tranquil tree-lined streets, as well as picturesque vistas of the island of Manhattan.

Rich businessmen and investors opted to live in Brooklyn Heights so they can observe while the skyscrapers were being built during the construction boom in Manhattan. It was one of the earliest places to be developed into a residential neighborhood outside of Manhattan and was popular because of its location along the East River.

Actually, it was not Americans but the Dutch who called Brooklyn Heights their home in 1645 which was back then known simply as ?The Heights.? At the height of the Revolutionary War, the Cornell Mansion found within the neighborhood served as the headquarters of George Washington. During the first few years of the 1800s, inventor Robert Fulton used his steamboat to transport people from Manhattan to Brooklyn Heights on their way to and from their respective works. Currently, Brooklyn Heights is very accessible through a five-minute subway train ride from Wall Street. Another option to get to Brooklyn Heights is via a scenic walk via the Brooklyn Bridge.

Most of the visitors go to Brooklyn Heights to marvel at the beautiful brownstone homes. Another point of attraction here is the Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims which was first used as a worship place among New Yorkers in 1847 through the leadership of Henry Ward Beecher who was a well-known antislavery champion. This church eventually played a significant role in the subterranean railroad which brought slaves to liberty from the tyrannized South.

Another interesting worship place within the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood is St. Ann and the Holy Trinity boasting of impressive stained glass windows spanning an area of 7,000 square feet and was conceptualized by John Bolton and William Bolton in the 1840s. These windows are believed to be the earliest stained glass crafted by Americans.

Adding to the list of must-sees within Brooklyn Heights is the head office of the Brooklyn Historical Society which is found in a breathtaking Queen Ann structure. Aside from this, there are other interesting exhibits within the building and visitors can arrange for a walking tour guided by one of the society members. After the tour, visitors can stop by Grimaldi?s Pizzeria for some refreshments as well as the popular Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory.

Aside from the houses, there is also the Brooklyn Heights Promenade which is actually a product of lobbying against the construction of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. A neighborhood group rallied in opposition against the building of the expressway and they emerged triumphant. To permanently avoid the creation of an expressway that would traverse Brooklyn Heights, a 600 meter boulevard was constructed on top of the bi-level highway.

The Brooklyn Heights Promenade is a famous pit stop for tourists and New Yorkers. It is a nice spot where one can take a photo of the magnificent Manhattan. Fitness enthusiasts use this as a venue to jog or to rollerblade. It is definitely a place for all ages with a generous playground space for the kids, benches for the jaded residents who want to rest as well as beautiful flowerbeds.