In the early 1900s, if you walked around Sunset Park, you might have heard Finnish being spoken on the streets. That’s because the neighborhood was home to the largest concentration of Finns in New York City, and though most have since gone from Brooklyn, they left behind their co-operative spirit. The Finns built the first non-profit co-operative apartment buildings in the nation, many of which are still standing today.
On this guided group walk, you will hear about the fascinating history of Finns in this neighborhood from Robert Alan Saasto, Esq., an active in the Finnish-American community, who was born in one of the more than 30 Finnish co-ops, which have recently received landmark designation.
Accessibility
The guided group walk will be mostly on level street sidewalk surfaces and accessible to wheelchairs. At one point of the tour guests will have the opportunity to take a peek in one of Finntown's apartments, where there might be a few steps there. The route distance is short (a few blocks), which also makes it very accessible. The meeting location is fairly close to Sunset Park's subway stations and some street parking should be available.
Location Information
RSVP is required and capacity is limited. Meeting location, ending location, and directions will be provided via email before walk date.
guided
Friday, May 3, 20246:00 PM
90 minutes
Borough: Brooklyn
Theme: Art & Architecture, History & Culture
Language: English
