Prospect Lefferts Gardens

About Prospect Lefferts Gardens

In 1893 the Lefferts farm was divided into building lots. Restrictions on part of the development shaped the houses’ scale, materials and single-family use. The Lefferts Manor Association, founded in 1919, continues to work on preservation and neighborhood activities.

Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Bridge and improved transit helped encourage development in the former Flatbush landscape. Detached houses were followed by denser forms; the historic district preserves a particular group of residential blocks rather than defining the entire neighborhood.

Places to explore

• Prospect Lefferts Gardens historic streets

  Lincoln Road, Maple, Midwood and Rutland streets area

  Compare the row-house fronts and their details from the public sidewalk. The landmark district represents part of the neighborhood, and the houses are occupied residences.

• Chester Court

  Cul-de-sac off Flatbush Avenue

  Eighteen houses built in 1911–12 face one another across a short street. Brick, stucco and decorative half-timbering distinguish the group. Look from the public approach and respect private homes and entrances.

• Lefferts Historic House, nearby

  Prospect Park, outside this guide’s mapped area

  Moved from Flatbush Avenue near Maple Street in 1918, the farmhouse is now a museum. Its interpretation includes the Indigenous people of Lenapehoking and Africans enslaved by the Lefferts family. Check seasonal hours before an interior visit.

  LandmarkLefferts Historic House

• PLG Arts programs

  Locations vary; check the selected venue

  The neighborhood arts organization presents programs and maintains an artists registry. Consult its calendar for the venue and access arrangements for a particular event.

Planning a visit

The historic houses are best viewed from public sidewalks. The Lefferts Manor Association organizes a house tour, but the homes are not generally open for daily sightseeing. Check the tour’s current arrangements separately.

Lefferts Historic House is in the separate Prospect Park map area. Check the museum’s seasonal schedule and the access details for the route you choose; step-free connections between the residential streets and the park have not been verified.

Photos