Brooklyn Historical Society
Also known as: Long Island Historical Society
Why it's listed
Located on Pierrepont Street in Brooklyn Heights, this four-story red brick building was designed by George B. Post and built between 1878 and 1881 for the Long Island Historical Society, later renamed the Brooklyn Historical Society. Post won a competition that drew plans from fourteen architects. The exterior is faced with dark red pressed brick and extensive terra cotta, including portrait heads sculpted by Olin Levi Warner. A side entrance tower and a hipped roof with dormers reflect Post's free adaptation of the Queen Anne style. Inside, the double-height library reading room retains its black ash woodwork, carved columns, gallery, and stained glass. Post suspended the fourth-floor museum from roof trusses with iron rods, which freed the library below from interior supports. The building is significant as one of the few intact surviving works by Post, for its early and influential use of terra cotta, and for its rare combination of library and museum under one roof.
Significance in brief: It is one of the few surviving intact works by architect George B. Post. It was the first major building on the east coast to use locally made terra cotta ornamentation, with portrait heads by sculptor Olin Levi Warner. Its unusual structural system suspends the fourth floor from roof trusses on iron rods, leaving the library open below. Its interiors survive largely intact as a rare combined library and museum.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 91002054, listed July 17, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 128 Pierrepont St., Brooklyn |
|---|---|
| County | Brooklyn |
| Listed | July 17, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91002054 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1878-1881 |
| Architect / builder | George B. Post (1837-1913) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated July 17, 1991 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a museum and library; the first floor has been partitioned and used as offices, and the interiors are largely intact. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Brooklyn Heights Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.69480, -73.99241 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 91002054.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4974853
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.