This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Honest graft and the Coffey Park saga in Red Hook
The Red Hook park tale centers on 1890s insider deals around Coffey and land speculator Frank S. Roake. Parcels bought cheap, re sold to city allies for large profits as Brooklyn opened Coffey Park in 1901 after a decade of pork and bonds.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Red Hook
Coffey Park
Michael J. Coffey
Brooklyn
Board of Aldermen
Coffey
George Brower
Brower
Frank S. Roake
Dwight, Richards, Verona
King Streets
Roake
Ellen Fullerton
John O’brien
Carrie Mesick
Miss Mesick
P.H. Flynn
Flynn
Fullerton
Red Hook Park
David Boody
Kings County