While you could be forgiven for not thinking of The New Leaf Journal as The News Leaf Journal, we are not averse to on-the-ground reporting. Back in May, I provided an in-depth, on-the-ground report on a downed stop sign in Vinegar Hill. I never wrote a follow-up piece on that particular downed stop sign for, although it was moved, it remained down and was later removed entirely. Rather than dwell on the undignified end of the Plymouth Street stop sign, I have a new and fresh stop sign down report. Behold, two downed stop signs on Garden Place in Brooklyn Heights, each with a bonus one- way sign:
Where are the New Downed Stop Signs in Brooklyn Heights?
The downed stop signs sit on Garden Place, just off State Street, one block away from the end of Brooklyn Heights. For its part, Garden Place runs for a single block from Joralemon Street, which extends all the way down to Brooklyn Bridge Park, to State Street. Garden Street bears its name because it was once the site of the formal gardens of Philip Livingston, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. But I will cut the history of Garden Street short for now, for I would not want to give away a future article project so soon. Garden Street, lined with imposing sycamore trees and pretty nineteenth century residences, is one of Brooklyn Heights’ less-traveled, quieter, and prettier streets, although, as evinced by the two downed stop signs, it is also the site of quite a bit of street and home construction work.
Below, for your reference, you will find an embedded map marking the approximate location of the downed stop signs, courtesy of OpenStreetMap:
View Larger Map
Different Signs, Different Circumstances
My article on the poor downed stop sign in Vinegar Hill was an inquiry into what precisely brought it down. Ultimately, I concluded that the culprit was most likely a vehicle. In the case of the double-downed stop signs on Garden Place, the culprit is obvious – construction work. For that reason, I cannot confidently say that it is “open season” for sign collectors like I suggested for the fallen Vinegar Hill stop sign. In this case, it seems quite possible that the two stop signs will someday be returned to their former glory, once construction ceases. However, there is no guarantee that this will be the case.
Do the Stop Signs Still Work?
In the Vinegar Hill article, I noted that the fact I stopped at the downed stop sign proved that it had retained its authority even though in was lying prostrate on the ground with crude stickers on its back. I suppose that the fact I stopped to take a picture of the two downed stop signs on Garden Place proves that they also retain some of their authority. However, in light of the fact that the corner of Garden and State is blocked off by construction tape, it is unlikely that I would have proceeded further in a straight line regardless. The downed one way signs were perhaps more symbolic here, advising all passersby that the only way to proceed was to cross the street.
Final Thoughts
While these stop signs and one way signs on Garden Street are down, they are perhaps not out. If I become aware of any updates on their future, I will be sure to bring it to your attention. Since the signs appear to be in good working order and have no stickers that required Victor to provide family website-friendly censorship, they may have a bright future ahead.
