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Brooklyn's Prospect Park Walking Tour
Item 5 of 20
The Boathouse on the Lullwater of the Lake is a two-story, classical Roman style building located on the eastern side of Prospect Park, Brooklyn in New York. Built in 1907, it served as a boathouse for many years but is now home to the Prospect Park Audubon Center. It is the first Audubon center in an urban park. It was named to National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The center's exhibits and free programs aim to educate children and the public at large about the park's natural diversity.

The center also hosts wedding receptions

The center also hosts wedding receptions

View of the boathouse from the lake

View of the boathouse from the lake

Interior view of the building

Interior view of the building
The Boathouse was built in 1904 in the classical Roman style, which was common throughout the country at that time. The style's popularity grew after it saw a resurgence during the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. The design of the building closely resembled that of Penn Station which was demolished in the 1960s. 

The Boathouse almost shared the same fate in 1964, as it was underused for so long. However, plans were made to preserve it, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. It underwent renovation in the 1980s and then once more in 2000. In the 1980s-1990s, the boathouse served as the park ranger's headquarters and a visitor center. Thanks to the efforts of the Prospect Park Alliance and the Audubon Society chapter in New York, it is now an Audubon Society Center.
"Prospect Park Audubon Center." Prospect Park Alliance. Accessed Web, 6/9/17. https://www.prospectpark.org/visit-the-park/places-to-go/audubon-center/.

"Boat House Original." Neighborhood Preservation Center. Accessed Web, 6/9/17. http://www.neighborhoodpreservationcenter.org/db/bb_files/BOAT-HOUSE-ORIGINAL.pdf.