4. Residents believed there were health benefits to living in Clinton Hill
When Clinton Hill was first developing, many referred to it simply as “The Hill” because it had a maximum elevation of 95 feet, the highest in this area of Brooklyn. Many believed that because of its elevation, there were health benefits to living in Clinton Hill as opposed to other neighborhoods nearby.
This was because many people believed that diseases were more prevalent in areas of lower elevation. Though initially a working-class community, many mansions were built in the early 1900s, perhaps in part because of this belief.