Barbey Street
North of Atlantic

Originally part of the Schenck Farm. Named after Andrew Barbey, part of the Sackman and Barbey Realty firm that helped develop the area.

Click on thumbnails to enlarge

Arlington and Barbey, circa 1906
Starting in the middle, this great shot is looking north up Barbey across Arlington Avenue. I dated this image because I know the house on the northeast corner was built in 1901 (see below) and Reformation Church, built in 1908, does not appear. From the Brian Merlis Archives. Thanks to Neil for 2006 image.
151 Arlington, northeast corner Barbey and Arlington
A September 1901 article in the Brooklyn Eagle featured real estate in East New York, complete with photos of 2 houses; one on Jerome and this one, on the northeast corner of Arlington and Barbey. Dr. Martin Kassan, who grew up at 109 Barbey in the 1950s, notes that Dr. Peltz had his home and office here at that time. NOTE:Clicking on the old image will launch the complete Brooklyn Eagle article, it is a large file.
1967 Anniversary Parade
This image shows the north side of Arlington and Barbey as residents line up to watch a Brooklyn anniversary parade. Neil captures the same angle in his 2006 shot.
Southeast Corner, Arlington and Barbey, circa 1983
Richard Adazzio sent the tax photo from the 1980s. I did some research; the house appears to have been built around 1905 for Elizabeth Meserole Schenck Rapalje, the widow of Williamson Rapelje. The Meserole, Schenck and Rapalje families have long histories in East New York. In the 1910 census she is there with the Linington family, her nephew Frank and his wife Kittie, their 3 children, a cook and a servant. Frank was a civil engineer. Elizabeth was still living there when she passed in 1932 at the age of 94! From there the trail goes cold as I have yet to find it in the 1940 census. Sadly, the house is no longer standing. See below.
Southeast corner, Barbey and Arlington
I'm saddened to report that the huge white house which sat on this corner for 100 years was torn down in 2006, and 4 multifamily units were built on the lot in 2007.
Barbey Street and Evangelical Church of the Reformation
Maker: Fick Year: 1910 Status: Own (RG)
This great Fick view has some wonderful details, including what looks like a horse post near the bottom of the image. The view is north up Barbey, starting about 75 feet north of Arlington Avenue. Way in the distance is the Smith mansion up on Highland Boulevard, overlooking the neighborhood.
Reformation Church, 105 Barbey
Going north up Barbey past Arlington is The Lutheran Church of the Reformation. It was my family's church, dedicated in 1909 (the 1898 reference on the front of the church was its founding), and there is a Reformation P age devoted to it. The picture on the left is from the church's collection, a wedding from 1966, which gives a view of some of the houses across the street.The congregation was formally closed on Feb 23, 2014. The building now hosts the Citadel Cathedral of Praise and Worship. In 2024 the building was nominated to be placed on the New York State and National Register of Historic Places.
Anniversary Parades, 1966 and 1967
As mentioned above, my church marched in the Brooklyn Anniversary Parades. The 1966 photo on the left shows some of the houses north of the church and the 1967 photo on the right shows the west side of Barbey just north of Arlington. That's your webmaster getting ready to pull that float and in the scout uniform is Eric Seebeck.
My best friend lived at 96 Barbey, seen in the 1940 tax photo and a 2005 image.
87 Barbey, circa 1920
Thanks to Janice Abrams, whose great grandparents were probably the 1st to reside at 87 Barbey, for forwarding this shot of the house from its early days. On the right, a 2007 view shows the house in pretty decent shape even though it has changed substantially.
Barbey Street, East New York
Maker: Thompson Dated: 1908 Status: Own (BG)
The last visible house on the far side of the street in this postcard is 87 Barbey. I'm happy to see it was difficult to match up a 2007 update view because of the trees and shrubbery which blocked the view.
Barbey from Jamaica
Maker: Wm. Fick Dated: unknown Status: Own(BG)

Thanks to Neil for 2005 shot.
Barbey Court
Neil supplied this 1939 tax photo and 2006 update shot of Barbey Court, on the north side of Jamaica Ave.
Barbey and Sunnyside, 1965
Sent in by Lucy (Patini) Ellis, the location is Barbey Street, north of Sunnyside Ave. Behind her friend Fran Fiorino the road curves sharply to the right, then north again,coming to a dead end at Highland Boulevard. The house up on Highland Boulevard in the background is still there, but is not visible in my update picture.
170 Barbey Street
Margaret Paxton sent over the 1941 tax photo for 170 Barbey along with some great history. The house was built circa 1895 for a noted doctor in the area, Charles Von Urff. He dies at the early age of 35 in 1902 leaving his wide Genevieve to support the family. She opens up a maternity ward in the house, with a permit for three beds on the first floor. She enlists the assistance of some local doctors and it was still listed as a maternity or "confinement" ward on the 1930 census. How did Margaret know this? Her mother was delivered there in the 1920s! I supplied the 2009 photo.
Barbey Street, North of Fulton
Maker:Wm. Fick Dated: 1917 Status: Own(BG)

Now we head south. Thanks to Neil for 2005 photo. I should note that the popular ice cream parlor Raackes was located on the northeast corner of Barbey and Fulton.
209 Barbey Street
This house sits on the east side of Barbey St. between Fulton and Atlantic. The undated early photos on the left came from "Good Old East New York" and provide us with some history. The house was built for John Cornell Schenck, and I found his name at this address in the 1900 census. I have upgraded the update photo with a 2009 shot.
209 Barbey Street, 1923 storm
In 1923 a severe storm hit the East New York area; you can barely see 209 Barbey behind the downed trees.
Barbey Street Republican Club, 1918 fire
The Republican Club was located at 236 Barbey, the west side of the street near Atlantic Avenue. These pictures show a fire which took place in 1918. The building is now gone, it was still standing in the early 1970s and was threatened with demolition when locations for P.S. 290 were negotiated. P.S. 290 does not occupy this location so I am investigating when and why it was demolished. Paula Curci gave us some clues on the timing; " I recall the Republican club closing down sometime near 1976. I recall this because there was a massive parade in Cypress Hills that my father assisted in organizing. As a family, we were responsible for creating a museum for the bicentenial in my father's office which included the old Republican Club photos and campaign paraphernalia found in the club.... For several days, people walked through my parents' office to view the makeshift museum as a community activity to celebrate the bicentennial. I thought the club closed down soon after the bicentenial."
Two views taken during a blizzard in February 1967. First, we are looking north toward Fulton Street; we can catch a small glimpse of the Republican Club on the left. The second is the north side of Atlantic Avenue, looking west To Barbey Street. On the far left is Stan's; Tony Davenport had tipped me off years ago the owner was Stan Anania which helped me ID this photo.
Philips Iron Shop
These 2 great early photos from Janice Abrams are part of a mystery. Janice sent us a great early shot of 87 Barbey above. Her grandfather owned an Iron shop at 2219 Pitkin Avenue off Van Siclen Avenue known as the Philips Iron Shop, and these photos were taken outside and inside.