Get out and see Bay Ridge this weekend

By Alex Rush

This historical tour is much more than a walk in the park.

A walking tour this Saturday will showcase some of Bay Ridge’s oldest sites, from a cemetery where Revolutionary War soldiers are buried to a park that was once the 19th-century estate of the first editor of the original Brooklyn Eagle (no relation to today’s publication).

“We wanted to pick a tight-knit area with a cluster of interesting places,” said Josephine Beckmann, district manager of Community Board 10, which organized the free tour with the Bay Ridge Historical Society.

In Bay Ridge, there’s no better place to begin than on Senator Street. The three-block stretch between Fourth Avenue and Colonial Road is lined with brownstones built at the turn of the 20th century. History buffs will then visit Owl’s Head Park, Barkaloo Cemetery and the Narrows Botanical Gardens, which was transformed from a weed-strewn lot into a vibrant conservatory by volunteers.

“It’s a magnificent site,” Beckmann said.

Bay Ridge historical tour [meet at 69th Street near Fourth Avenue in Bay Ridge, (718) 745-6827], June 4 from 10 am–1:30 pm. Free. RSVP to communitybd10@nyc.rr.com.