Greenpoint streets, Lithuanian monument, CBS's Hannah Kliger

My interview with Rob Flaks probably paved the way for Hannah Kliger of CBS 2 (NYC) contacting me. I forget how she phrased it, but she was interested in any unusual monuments or sights that I've come across in my travels. For once, I'm happy I've been blogging and taking pictures. I've seen some great sites/sights, but many are common knowledge and visited by thousands.

I thought about war memorials I've passed, mostly from the First World War, and then I remembered the monument erected by the Lithuanians of Greater New York, with stuck out when I first passed it a couple of years ago because Lithuanians is not one of the major ethnic groups you think of when you think of migrations to Brooklyn or to New York City as a whole. I mentioned it, and she liked the idea (and later said that her Russian background didn't play a part in it, but I might've steered her that way anyway). So we picked a date for a walk that worked into her schedule. I even agreed to come out later in the day, as my summer walks were usually in the morning.

Two things:

First, if I was going to revisit an area (unlike the News 12 interview where Rob joined me where my next walk was), I figured that I could go to Greenpoint first, hit some streets that I hadn't covered before, and then make my way over to the monument, taking a subway if I needed to. (I didn't).

Second, the Lithuanian monument wasn't a war memorial. It actually celebrates two pilots who tried to fly nonstop from Brooklyn to Lithuania, but, sadly, perished in a crash in Poland a few hundred miles away. They are folk heroes, and they have a handful on monuments dedicated in their honor across the country. (I'd have to double check that I have that last part right.)

So the Greenpoint walk is up first.

I started on Manhattan Ave from the Nassau Ave train station. Greenpoint Ave would've been a better starting point, but I imagine that donuts played a part in my decision. I walked up to Milton Street, but stopped to take pictures of St. Anthony of Padua / St. Alphonus Church. You know that I like taking pictures of churches, and this is one heck of a church. I wish I'd had time to stop inside. I should start doing that.

Turning down Milton Street, I spied some interesting wall art on the left side and then another two churches. First, on the right was St. John's Lutheran Church. Across the street from that was the Greenpoint Reformed Church, which looked interesting, nestled in-between the other buildings.

Turning up West Street, there was a walkway with shops behind a sign saying "Seret Studios". I thought I could walk down to the water, but I couldn't quite get that far. A couple of pictures were taken.

After a 180, I walked up West St to Greenpoint Ave, and did another 180, heading south Noble Street, where I took a picture of a water tower (no Warner Bros or their sister Dot) and then walked to the water and back.

South to Oak Street where I found streets not on my map from 2019. Oak Street leads to Wharf Drive, which appears to be new. This drive veers off to the west to 1 Wharf Plaza Park and also continues south to Quay Street. From there is was back to West St.

More looping around as I walked up to Calyer St, where I took a photo of the walkway that stretches back to Wharf Drive, which I declined to walk now. Google Maps shows a second path that goes down to the waterfront. Again, I had no extra time for these. I double-backed to Quay, which I took another block to Franklin Street.

One more time, I walked north to Calyer St, turning west and walking back down to West Street. Then I turned left on Oak Street. I don't know if the second picture is either Calyer or Oak, and I don't know why I only have one photo.

However, the playground is definitely on Noble, which I had double-back on, and stayed on until Lorimer Street (just short of Manhattan Ave). Along the way, I passed a staircase without a door, part of the Greenpoint Shul, and another building with an interesting porch. Okay, I don't remember if there was another reason for taking the picture other than I liked how it looked and it stood out a bit.

I only had to walk the first block of Lorimer, having walked the rest of it on other trips. Then I had to walk the rest of Calyer, west to Guernsey and then a U-turn back to Manhattan Ave. Up one block and I walked the rest of Noble, and -- Voila! -- this part of Greenpoint is complete!

In the final leg of this part of my day, I walked downed Greenpoint Avenue to finish off two blocks of Leonard Street and Eckford Street and then take Newel St (not to be confused with nearby Jewel Street, which is nearby, and which I confused a couple months later) all the way to Driggs Ave.

I walked Driggs to Humbolt Street, which is just a tiny bit away from Driggs Ave. The church is St. Stanislaus Kostka Church and the street sign says it's Walesa-Solidarity Square.

The final picture is of Diamond St, which I took one block back to Nassau, which would bring me back to the G train so I could make my appointment with Hannah Kliger.

A short ride later, and I arrived at Lithuania Square at the convergence of South 2nd Street, Stagg Street and Hewes Street with Union Ave. The monument is dedicated to the memory of two Lithuanian-Americans, Steponas “Stephen” Darius (1896-1933) and Stasys “Stanley” Girenas (1894-1933), who attempted to fly nonstop from New York to Lithuania in 1933.

The final two pictures are an "Oopsie" of myself that amuses me so I included it and a photo of CBS's Hannah Kliger, who interviewed me at the monument and on a walk around the neighborhood. I didn't take any pictures because it would've interfered with her recording, and because I'd already walked this area.