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Read the press release here.

NYC's First Historic District Named 50 Years Ago This Week

By Nikhita Venugopal | November 23, 2015 2:36pm | Updated on November 23, 2015 2:59pm
 The Brooklyn Historical Society shared decades-old images of the neighborhood.
Brooklyn Heights Celebrates 50th Anniversary as Historic District
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History has its eyes on Brooklyn Heights. 

The neighborhood is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its designation as a historic district — New York City's first on Nov. 23, 1965. 

"The stately brick and brownstone houses, on their tree-lined streets with stone sidewalks, represent most of the principal architectural styles of the 19th century," according to the Landmarks Preservation Commission's report at the time.

"The architecture of the Heights is a remarkable example of stylistic development, rarely found in any American city."

But that alone wasn't enough. As with designating historic districts today, the Brooklyn Heights community rallied behind the proposal that would recognize the importance of preserving the neighborhood. 

The 1965 report from the LPC can be found here.

To honor the occasion, Brooklyn Historical Society will be celebrating with cocktails and discussions with prominent historians and preservationists. (Only a few tickets remain, a spokeswoman said.)

But if you miss the party, the museum at 128 Pierrepont St. also has an installation to commemorate Brooklyn Heights with noteworthy memorabilia, including a hand-drawn map of the district.