Bay Ridge was once a quaint and rural pocket of suburban Brooklyn. With the establishment of Ovington Village in the 1850s, the area became a haven for artists and businessmen alike. The area still bears remnants of its artistic and historic past. The beautiful Narrows that so inspired this guild served as a vital point of defense in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Throughout the past two centuries, Bay Ridge has thrived with a diverse immigrant population living alongside Brooklyn elites like Henry C. Murphy, whose opulent estate is now scenic Owl's Head Park. Local author Matthew Scarpa reveals the extraordinary places, people and events in Bay Ridge history.
Matthew Scarpa, a native of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, is vice-president and slide curator of the all-volunteer non-for-profit Bay Ridge Historical Society. Currently, Scarpa is an Editor/Picture Desk Editor with a imaging rights management agency in New York City, featuring the work of premier photographers from around the world. He has Bachelors Degrees in History and Art History. His first book Postcard History Series: Bay Ridge was published in 2013 with Arcadia Publishing.