Public School 66
Also known as: Brooklyn Hills School
Why it's listed
Public School 66 is a brick school building on 102nd Street in Richmond Hill, Queens, completed in 1898 by Union Free School District #7 of the Town of Jamaica. It rises two and one-half stories above a raised basement and shows Romanesque Revival detailing, including an off-center entrance tower with a round-arched doorway, sandstone trim and ornamental stucco. The architect of the original block is unknown, though a contractor named Clark is credited with its construction. The school opened in 1901, and an addition of 1905-06, built under C.B.J. Snyder, added classrooms, central heating and a third-floor auditorium. Its significance lies in education and architecture. It represents the city's response to growing outer-borough populations in what was then farmland, and it survives as one of few such schools still serving its original purpose. A 2001 restoration returned the slate roof and the bell tower, whose belfry was removed in 1967. Much of the original floor plan remains inside.
Significance in brief: It is significant under Criterion A in education as a turn-of-the-century New York City school in a once rural area that became suburban, and one of few such schools that survives and is still used as a school. It is significant under Criterion C as an example of Romanesque Revival school architecture. The 1905-06 addition was built under C.B.J. Snyder, Superintendent of School Buildings.
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 03000850, listed August 28, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 85-11 102nd St., Richmond Hill |
|---|---|
| County | Queens |
| Listed | August 28, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000850 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1898-1906 |
| Architect / builder | Board of Education, Union Free School Dist. #7; Snyder, C.B.J. (addition) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Romanesque Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a grammar school with about 400 students; the roof, stucco frieze and bell tower were restored in a 2001 project. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.69783, -73.84593 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 03000850.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7257554
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.