Snyder Ave and some dead end streets

This was my third interview. This one was with Katie Vasquez for Currents TV, which is the channel of the Archidiocese of Brooklyn and Queens. We walked down Snyder Ave, which was the next one I was going to do anyway. It took us past Holy Cross Cemetery, but there were no churches along the way, so we made a detour to pass one.

It was a long walk, and I forgot to get a selfie with the reporter. Coincidentally, when I texted her, she mentioned that she thought of it, but when I didn't suggest it, she thought that I didn't want one (maybe because of Covid or whatever). Oh, well. Next time ... if there is a next time.

The segment didn't air until mid-December, and I didn't find out about it until January.

The morning started with a ride out into Brownsville. It looks like someone had a celebration on the train before I got on.

I was running late, and the reporter was on time. It didn't occur to me just how far Snyder Ave was from the Saratoga Ave train station on Livionia Ave. I did stop to take pictures on Legion St. and Willmphr St., but I did walk double-time most of the way. Of course, I stopped to take a photo of a fire/police alarm attached to a phone pole.

Just past E91 Street, Willmohr Street terminates as the confluence Linden Blvd, Kings Hwy, and Remsen Ave. That's four streets coming together at one stop. I nearly got lost once I crossed because Google Maps shows a road that doesn't exist (it's a parking lot) -- it's obvious it's you use the satellite view. I should've realized this from my earlier walk down Kings Highway that E 59 Street branches off from it.

That is correct: I went from E 91 Street to E 59 Street by crossing Remsen Ave.

I met Ms. Vasquez at the corner of Snyder and Ralph Aves. She had set her camera up in front of a shop before I got there, which worried a couple of shopowners that something had happened. She conducted an initial interview and then when walked a few blocks together. The one problem was that there were so many dead end streets off Snyder. East 58 St could've waited until I did the rest of that block but I walked it anyway.

The problem was that Ms. Vasquez walked a few blocks with me and then went back to my car to stop at a point farther up the road. Along the way, I got to Holy Cross Cemetery where there are five more dead end streets. She caught up to me on one of those. The ends of the streets are either wire or stone fences.

And that brings us to the entrance to Holy Cross Cemetery. One of the entrances, I should say. I was curious which entrances are kept open in case I wanted to walk through on a future visit. Odds are that there wouldn't be two on opposite sides because they wouldn't want cars speeding through as drivers looked for a shortcut.

From here, we took a detour up Albany Ave because her editor told her that we needed to stop by a church in the story. No complaints from me. It's their network. The first question I was asked when we set up this interview was if I'm a regular church-goer.

The funny thing is that I pass churches all the time. You know from all the photos I take of them. But there aren't any on Snyder Ave. So when took a two-block detour to Linden Blvd to get to Saint Catherine of Genoa. Catherine was an Italian Catholic saint and mystic, known for her work among the sick and the poor and remembered because of various writings describing both these actions and her mystical experiences. She died September 15, 1510, and was canonized in 1737. The liturgical feast of Saint Catherine of Genoa is celebrated on September 15.

The parish was formed in 1911. The church building itself, sad to say, wasn't particularly interesting. Had I been walking past it, I might not have stopped to take a picture. However, there were nice statues in the garden. Ms. Vasquez did ask if I ever stop into these churches that I photograph. I have to admit that I don't. Aside from the fact that I time my walks, many of the churches wouldn't be open at the times that I pass them. Also, it didn't really occur to me, as that's a different goal to achieve. Still, it's something to think about. Better than that suggestion that I go visit all the branches of the library.

Back to the cemetery by way of E 40 Street (and I looped back to the entrance). At this point, I said good-bye to Ms. Vasquez (forgetting to ask for a selfie!) and continued on my way. I didn't expect to walk five miles.

Crossing Nostrand Ave, I thought something was wrong because all the emergency vehicles around, but it turned out that the NYPD and the FDNY have stations next to each other.

Then I passed this lot that looks like a driveway (and likely is) but it had a separate house in the back. There used to be one of these back on 8th Street in Park Slope back when I was growing up. It's not a renovated garage. It looks like what used to be the servant's quarters. I didn't make a note of the address or cross-streets (probably for the best) but I don't see it on Google Maps, either.

The next detour was up Lott Street to Erasmus and and then up Woods Place to Church Ave, before reversing and taking Woods Place back to Snyder. At Woods and Snyder, there is literally a garage/storage unit built out into the street. Unreal. But this is Brooklyn, after all.

And that brought me to the end of the road. Of course, I still had to walk back to the subway up on Church Avenue, which meant passing a couple more churches, but we had what we needed.

Here is a link to the interview: https://netny.tv/episodes/currents/st-dominic-parishioner-aims-to-walk-every-block-in-brooklyn/

And that's it for this trip. Come back soon.

All of the above photos and videos, unless otherwise stated, were taken by Christopher J. Burke and are subject to copyright.

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