9. Former New York City Mayor John Francis Hylan called Bushwick his home

Image of former New York City Mayor John Francis Hylan in 1917.
Former New York City Mayor John Francis Hylan in 1917. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons (Library of Congress).

Originally from the rural Catskills, former New York City Mayor John Francis Hylan moved to Bushwick after marrying his childhood sweetheart, Marion O’Hara. They lived at 959 Bushwick Avenue. On the corner of Gates Avenue and Broadway, Hylan would later open up his law office, and although he only made $24 in his first month, he quickly built a strong litigation practice. In 1917, Hyland was put forth as a Brooklyn Democratic candidate for mayor, serving two terms from 1918 to 1925. One of Hylan’s chief focuses was on keeping subway fares from rising. However, by the end of his second term, he was heavily criticized for his handling of the subway by Governor Al Smith. A few years after he left office, in 1937, the New York Times named Hylan as Bushwick’s “best-known resident in recent years.”

Another famous person who has called Bushwick home is actor Anthony Ramos, who grew up in the area with his mother, older brother, and younger sister. The actor is known for starring dual roles of John Laurens and Philip Hamilton in the Broadway musical Hamilton and as Usnavi in the 2021 Lin Manuel Miranda film In The Heights.