October 20, 2007 / Williamsburg–Greenpoint–Bushwick / Perspective / Beside the Point

Take this area history quiz!

By Tom Gilbert

for The Brooklyn Paper

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You think you know North Brooklyn? Test your knowledge with this quiz that combines history and current events (answers below):

1. Greenpoint gets its name from:
a) a corruption of “Green Port.”
b) a tree-lined point of land that once extended into the East River.
c) painted arrowheads used by the local Indians.
d) brewer and Son of Liberty Josiah Green.

2. Williamsburg gets its name from:
a) 19th-century surveyor Jonathan Williams.
b) Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany.
c) Williamsburg, Virginia.
d) English King William of Orange.

3. Grand Street Campus was once called:
a) Newtown Creek HS.
b) Greenpoint HS.
c) Eastern District HS.
d) Josiah Green Academy.

4. Councilman Yassky’s predecessor was:
a) Victor Robles.
b) Abe Gerges.
c) Meade Esposito.
d) Ken Fisher.

5. The city’s largest sewage treatment plant is:
a) Newtown Creek Water Treatment Plant.
b) Hunts Point Water Treatment Plant.
c) Red Hook Water Treatment Plant.
d) North River Water Treatment Plant.

6. Newtown Creek sewage plant is in:
a) Newtown.
b) Red Hook.
c) Williamsburg.
d) Greenpoint.

7. As an amenity to the North River Water Treatment Plant, Harlem received:
a) a 28-acre park including a swimming pool, ice skating rink, theater, restaurant and athletic complex.
b) Fairway.
c) a bike path.
d) Yankees season tickets.

8. As an amenity for the expansion of the Newtown Creek Water Treatment Plant, Greenpoint received:
a) a 28-acre park including pool, ice skating rink, theater, restaurant and athletic complex.
b) a soapy smell.
c) new barbed wire for the McCarren Park pool.
d) an interactive nature walk along one of the city’s most polluted waterways.

9. The World Champions of baseball in 1862 were:
a) the Brooklyn Atlantics.
b) the Greenpoint Eckfords.
c) the Brooklyn Dodgers.
d) the New York Mets.

10. Which celebrity has never lived in Williamsburg or Greenpoint?
a) Nora Jones.
b) Geraldo Rivera.
c) Nancy Reagan.
d) Mae West.

11. Which of the following has been landmarked by the city?
a) McCarren pool lockers.
b) the Austin, Nichols warehouse.
c) the Domino sign.
d) Bamonte’s restaurant.

12. In TV’s “The Bullwinkle Show,” King Bushwick ruled:
a) Billyburg.
b) New Greenpernt.
c) The Nort Side.
d) The Eastern District.

13. In Italian, “giglio” means:
a) tower.
b) lily.
c) Ben Affleck.
d) fried dough.

14. The street destroyed by the construction of McGuiness Boulevard was:
a) San Francisco St.
b) Oakland St.
c) Sacramento St.
d) Hollywood St.

15. McGolrick Park is named for:
a) the first captain of the USS Monitor.
b) an 18th-century tavern owner who sold to minors.
c) a pastor of St. Cecilia’s RC Church.
d) a local boxing champion.

16. McCarren Park is named for:
a) state Sen. and political boss Patrick Henry McCarren.
b) real-estate developer Jerry McCarren.
c) Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Augustus McCarren.
d) kickball inventor “Chip” McCarren.

17.The Kosciuszko bridge is named for:
a) Polish patriot Tadeusz Kosciuszko.
b) mustard magnate Stanley Koscuiszko.
c) polka legend Jimmy Koscuiszko.
d) General Casimir Pulaski.

18. Harrison Avenue, Ross Street, Lynch Street, Middleton Street and Lee Avenue were all named for:
a) Pro-American members of the English Parliament.
b) signers of the Declaration of Independence.
c) 18th-century Brooklyn farmers.
d) principals of IS 318.

19. Keap Street gets its name from:
a) a town in Ireland.
b) a misreading of the name “McKean.”
c) a shipyard owner.
d) Aaron Burr’s dog.

20. The real name of rapper Jay–Z, a graduate of Williamsburg’s IS 318, is:
a) Lionel Jefferson.
b) John Smith.
c) Shawn Carter.
d) John Galvin.

21. Greenpoint is mentioned in which film?
a) 12 Angry Men.
b) On the Waterfront.
c) White Chicks.
d) The Departed.

22. Vince Lombardi and Joe Torre both attended what Williamsburg school?
a) Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
b) St. Francis Prep.
c) Eastern District HS.
d) PS 110.

23. Which is NOT the name of a new North Brooklyn development?
a) Northside Piers.
b) Aqua.
c) Subprime Towers.
d) Schaefer Landing.

24. The East River is:
a) a fjord.
b) a river.
c) a tidal estuary.
d) Robert Moses’ last project.

25. Which one was made in Greenpoint?
a) the Statue of Liberty.
b) the Iwo Jima monument.
c) the bronze figures atop the Grand Army Plaza arch.
d) the New York Public Library’s stone lions.

Tom Gilbert is a writer and historian who lives in Greenpoint. He got 100 percent on this quiz.

Answers:

1) b 2) a 3) c 4) d 5) a 6) d 7) a 8) d 9) b 10) c 11) a 12) b 13) b 14) b 15) c 16) a 17) a 18) b 19) b 20) c 21) b 22) b 23) c 24) c 25) b

If you got:

0–5 questions correct: Go back to art school, you wannabe.

6–10 questions correct: You probably think Peter Luger’s is kosher.

11–15 questions correct: Your neighbors will start saying hello to you in a year or two.

16–20 questions correct: You belong on the community board.

20–25 questions correct: You don’t need our congratulations. You’re probably already the mayor of some Greenpoint or Williamsburg block

©2007 The Brooklyn Paper