© Frank H. Jump
© Frank H. Jump
© Frank H. Jump
Evidence of the crown shifting south can be seen here. © Frank H. Jump
I first heard about the Vitagraph smokestack from Kevin Walsh in the late 90s. For some reason I though it was only visible from the subway and I never got around to photographing it. With prodding from a new NY history friend (TYVI), I decided to go check out the smokestack for myself and I’m so glad I did. From the looks of the top of the stack, it is about to crumble. There are missing bricks near the top. Underneath, there is a parking lot for a religious high school. I wouldn’t park under this crumbling relic.
If there was a case for the urgent need for historic preservation here in Brooklyn, this is the smoking gun. This remnant of the nascent motion picture industry before it moved out West is worth preserving. What do you think?
Midwood Blog
Other Vitagraph Co. Smokestack documentation:
- The film business’s Brooklyn birth – Midwood Blog
- Vitagraph Studios in Brooklyn – Avenue M – Movie Capital of the World? – Subway dot com.ru
- Midwood, Brooklyn – Wikipedia
- Vitagraph Studios – Wikipedia
- Vitagraph Smokestack – Forgotten-NY
I’ve started a petition to try and save the smokestack, and was wondering — may I use one of your images on the page?
Your site is wonderful — keep up the great work!
Jennifer
Absolutely Jennifer, just provide a link back to the original blogposting and a photocredit © Frank H. Jump.
Best of luck and thank you! Let me know what else I can do. Best, Frank
Hi Frank!
Leonard Maltin has contacted me and would like to feature the story on his own website — would you permit him to use the same photo? With credit of course.
Absolutely!
Thanks so much, I really appreciate it!
You can see the petition here:
https://www.change.org/petitions/brooklyn-historical-society-save-the-vitagraph-smokestack
Regards,
Jen 🙂
Thanks!