The Irish Family History Forum will sponsor a walking tour of the Brooklyn Navy Yard that will highlight the yard’s Irish influence. Founded in 1801, the Yard was once the nation’s premier naval shipyard, building, repairing, and outfitting vessels from the War of 1812 through the Cold War. Today, the Yard’s historic industrial landscape has been repurposed to support over 500 businesses that employ over 12,000 people in manufacturing, technology, and skilled crafts.
Our two-hour walking tour, run by Turnstile Tours, will examine the key role the Irish diaspora played in the growth and development of the Yard, sharing stories of laborers, engineers, sailors, and officers. We will visit several historic buildings, including Civil War–era machine shops, the Yard’s museum and visitor center at BLDG 92, and a working dry dock built mainly by Irish laborers and still used today for ship repair. We will also learn about the historical Irish communities around the Yard and their centers of civic life, including churches, pubs, and political clubs, some of which still exist.
When: Sunday, May 18, 11 a.m. to about 1 p.m.
Where: Meet at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Center at BLDG 92, located at the corner of Flushing Ave. and Carlton Ave. in Brooklyn. Please check in with the Forum representative at 10:45 a.m. Please note that during the tour, there will be restroom stops along the way and sometimes places to sit.
Cost/Registration: The cost is $30 per person. Members may bring a guest. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. The registration deadline is April 30. To reserve a place on the tour, please send the registration form with a check for $30 per person, made out to Irish Family History Forum, to Navy Yard Tour, IFHF, PO Box 67, Plainview, NY 11803-0067 OR complete the form below and pay by clicking the Pay Now button.
Directions/Parking: Directions to the Navy Yard are available at https://www.brooklynnavyyard.org/directions-map. Parking inside the Yard is limited. On-street and metered parking are available on Flushing Ave. and on many adjacent streets. Nonmetered parking is available underneath the Brooklyn-Queens Expwy. along Park Ave.
Questions? Please email programs@ifhf.org.