7. McCarren Park Used to Have a Farm

Today, McCarren Park is home to many athletic facilities—but did you know it used to have a farm? In 1914, the park became the site of the first children’s farm in Brooklyn. During the farm’s first season, 240 “little farmers” attended to 120 plots of land that were each 8’x4′. There, they grew a range of produce, including radishes, carrots, beats, beans, onions, corn, and lettuce. The garden also had a “Farm House.” By the next year, the Farm House shelter became a social center for clubs and church groups.