Summary: The New York subway isnt the worlds oldest that distinction goes to Budapest or even Americas oldest. Boston beat us by a few years. But New York is unique in that its subway was the first to have both local and express tracks. Brooklyn BridgeCity Hall station was the southern most express station when the subway opened on October 27, 1904. At that time, the station was simply called quotBrooklyn Bridge.quot Todays name reflects a change that happened in 1945. The too small and underused, but beautiful City Hall local station, closed. Passenger service for that stop shifted to Brooklyn Bridge, which became the southern most terminus for the 6 train. Standing in the Brooklyn Bridge station today, it is difficult to appreciate the artistic detail that architects Heins amp LaFarge brought to the original station design. Many of those details were lost to the public during a series of renovations beginning in 1910. A platform extension in 1962 widened the island platforms and sealed off the original side platforms. While most of what you see in the station is modern, if you look in the right places, youll see remnants of the 1904 station.Original station ceramics remain intact on the eastern wall of the uptown platforms mezzanine area near the exit to the Municipal Building. Running along the top of the walls, spaced about fifteen feet apart, are plaques made by Grueby Faience Company of Boston. Inside a yellow molded border and green background are backtoback Bs, standing for Brooklyn Bridge.But a more interesting original ceramic detail is now hidden from public view. Heins amp LaFarge designed a stately eagle with a shield bearing the backtoback Bs. Similar eagles are found at the 33rd and 14th Street stations. The 33rd Street eagle paid homage to the 71st Regimental Armory that once stood above the 33rd Street station. Neither Brooklyn Bridge nor 14th Street had armories, so the use of the eagle is slightly cryptic. Is it purely decorative Or did Heins amp LaFarge have a specific reason for using the eagle here. We arent sure. Both the 33rd and 14th Street pieces were produced by Grueby Faience Company of Boston and were made from fifteenpart molds. But here at Brooklyn Bridge, the piece was made from a sevenpart mold. Does that mean that Grueby was not the manufacturer Were not sure. The remaining eagles are in an area that is no longer accessible to the public.In the plaza above ground, you will see the Brooklyn BridgeCity Hall stations tribute to the original Heins amp LaFarge stations. Take the elevator on the mezzanine to the street level, and youll exit in an interesting vestibule. Do any elements of this look familiar Maybe not to us, but they would have to a rider of the subway in 1904. The elevator vestibule is based on the original subway entrance kiosk. The domed roof and fanciful scrollwork reference these kiosks, which themselves were based on the entries of the Budapest subway, called kushks. Clearly, contemporary subway architects remain fascinated with, and impressed by, their predecessors.
