Van Dyke Playground

This text is part of Parks’ Historical Signs Project and can be found posted within the park.

What was here before?
This property was formerly owned by Christopher Lott (1758-1803), of the prosperous, early farming family. Lott grew up in Flatlands where his grandfather built the original family homestead in 1720, which remains in part at the Hendrick I. Lott House. Christopher’s father, Johannes (1721-1782), moved the family to New Lots shortly before he died in 1788 and willed his property to his sons, including Christopher.

Most of the Lott family properties were divided as Brooklyn developed, and by the turn of the 20th century, this parcel was lined with two-story row homes with several street-level businesses.

How did this site become a playground?
The city acquired this property in 1951 through condemnation for the Van Dyke Houses, and the playground opened in 1955. Initially managed by the New York City Housing Authority, it was assigned to NYC Parks in 1957.

In 1997 the playground was reconstructed with red and yellow play equipment with safety surfacing, a swing set, basketball courts lined with bleachers, handball courts, and a shower basin.

Who is this playground named for?
This playground honors the Van Dyke family, who were among the earliest Dutch settlers of 17th-century Brooklyn. Successive generations of the Van Dyck (the original Dutch spelling) family produced magistrates, judges, and landowners who held significant influence in the newly formed towns of Brooklyn.

Jan Thomasse Van Dyck emigrated from Amsterdam in 1652 and settled in the town of New Utrecht. Governor Colve of New Utrecht (one of the six original towns that make up present-day Brooklyn) appointed him as a magistrate in 1673. Descendant Hendrick Janse Van Dyck (b. 1653) also resided in New Utrecht and played a central role in opposing the Leislerian faction, which had seized control of the Dutch colonies. Van Dyck persuaded the Dutch government to assist the colonies in breaking free from the rule of the faction. Eventually, the King signed a warrant for the death of Jacob Leisler, the group’s leader, and he was beheaded in 1691.