Little Poland, Brooklyn
Encyclopedia
Little Poland is an informal name for part of a neighborhood in Greenpoint
, in the New York City
borough
of Brooklyn
. The name "Little Poland" came to be applied to it following an influx of Polish
immigrants after 1900. Earlier, several other places in New York City
had been called "Little Poland".
As described by The New York Times
in a June 22, 1984, article: "Manhattan Avenue is the heart of what residents call Little Poland. There are Polish meat stores with strings of kielbasa
, bakeries with Polish bread and babkas, supermarkets with Polish pickles, jams, dried soups and sauerkraut
." The neighborhood is served by the NYPD's 94th Precinct.
was designated "Little Poland" by the City Council in 2008 at the urging of the Polonia Business Association.
. The number one gang in the area is the Polish American
gang known as the Greenpoint Crew.
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Greenpoint is the northernmost neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is bordered on the southwest by Williamsburg at the Bushwick inlet, on the southeast by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and East Williamsburg, on the north by Newtown Creek and Long Island City, Queens at the...
, in the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. The name "Little Poland" came to be applied to it following an influx of Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
immigrants after 1900. Earlier, several other places in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
had been called "Little Poland".
As described by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
in a June 22, 1984, article: "Manhattan Avenue is the heart of what residents call Little Poland. There are Polish meat stores with strings of kielbasa
Kielbasa
Kielbasa, kołbasa, kobasa, kovbasa, kobasa, kobasi, and kubasa are common North American anglicizations for a type of Eastern European sausage. Synonyms include Polish sausage, Ukrainian sausage, etc...
, bakeries with Polish bread and babkas, supermarkets with Polish pickles, jams, dried soups and sauerkraut
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut , directly translated from German: "sour cabbage", is finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria, including Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus. It has a long shelf-life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid...
." The neighborhood is served by the NYPD's 94th Precinct.
Related neighborhoods
A similar neighborhood is Maspeth, due east, about two or three miles, in southern Queens. Historically Polish since 1890, the Broad Steet neighborhood in New Britain, ConnecticutNew Britain, Connecticut
New Britain is a city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is located approximately 9 miles southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 71,254....
was designated "Little Poland" by the City Council in 2008 at the urging of the Polonia Business Association.
Polish Mob
Little Poland and other parts of Greenpoint are territory to members of the Polish MobPolish Mob
Polish-American organized crime has existed in the United States throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Although not as well known as Russian, Italian-American, or Irish mafias, the Polish mob has a presence in many urban Polish American communities....
. The number one gang in the area is the Polish American
Polish American
A Polish American , is a citizen of the United States of Polish descent. There are an estimated 10 million Polish Americans, representing about 3.2% of the population of the United States...
gang known as the Greenpoint Crew.