Knickerbocker Field Club
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Knickerbocker Field Club is a long, two-story clubhouse at 114 East 18th Street in Brooklyn's Flatbush neighborhood. Built in 1892-93 and designed by the Parfitt Brothers, it is the only surviving building of Tennis Court, a suburban development begun in 1886 by Richard Ficken. The clapboard and shingle building has a gambrel roof, a deep porch on Doric columns, and dormers topped with broken-scroll pediments, a Palladian window and a crenellated parapet. The club began in 1889 as a lawn tennis group formed by local residents, built a small clubhouse in 1890, and replaced it after membership grew. Bowling alleys from the first building were kept in the basement. Once surrounded by large frame houses, eight tennis courts and a nine-hole golf course, the site now holds five courts amid high-rise apartments. The club bought the land in 1911 and still operates there. The clubhouse is valued as an excellent example of Colonial Revival design and as a reminder of Flatbush's era as a fashionable suburb.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an excellent example of Colonial Revival architecture by a prominent Brooklyn firm. It is the sole survivor of the Tennis Court development, one of Flatbush's earliest planned residential developments. It retains integrity of design, materials and use, and recalls the era when Flatbush was a fashionable suburb.
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 82001180, listed October 29, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 114 E. 18th St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Brooklyn |
| Listed | October 29, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001180 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Parfitt Brothers |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and still in use as an active private club; five of the original eight tennis courts remain, while the golf course and surrounding houses are gone. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.64776, -73.96328 (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 82001180.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6422049
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.