If you’ve got wooden shoes, strap ’em on and clog over to the Lefferts Historic House in Prospect Park.
On Sunday, scholar Christopher Ricciardi will give a talk on the history of the Dutch in Kings County, part of “Five Dutch Days,” a citywide celebration.
At the end of World War II, there were over 70 Dutch farmhouses and barns remaining in Brooklyn, but today only 13 remain. As original buildings are fast being swallowed up by new development, this celebration might be your last chance to appreciate some of Brooklyn’s hidden Dutch treasures.
And if buildings don’t make you feel warm and fuzzy, try a quilt on for size. The Lefferts Historic House’s collection of antique Dutch quilts (as well as 15 contemporary quilts) will be on display through Nov. 25, and kids will have a chance to try stitching one together.
“The Lefferts family was among the first Dutch settlers to bring the European tradition of quilting to the New World,” said event organizer Isak Mendes, who said that this makes the Lefferts Historic House the perfect spot for the celebration.
The Lefferts Historic House (located at the intersection of Flatbush Avenue and Empire Boulevard in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens) hosts Ricciardi’s lecture on Dutch Brooklyn on Nov. 18 at 2 pm. Free. Kids’ quilting workshops will take place on weekends at 2 and 3 pm through Nov. 25. For information, call (718) 789-2822 or visit www.prospectpark.org.
