Booker T. Washington Playground

Before this site became a playground, it served a very different purpose as the home of the Lion Brewery. Established in 1857, the brewery functioned as a local landmark and a central gathering spot for the neighborhood for over a century. By the time it closed in 1940, it had become deeply woven into the daily life of Manhattan Valley. Shortly after its closure, the building was demolished, and its substantial steel frame was recycled to support the national effort during the Second World War.