BROOKLYN GUIDED TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Weeksville: A One‑Hour Encounter with Brooklyn’s Pioneering Free Black Community
One‑hour public tours run by the Weeksville Heritage Center that trace the neighborhood’s 1838 founding, the grassroots rescue of the Hunterfly Road Houses, and the legacy of self‑determination that endures today.
Weeksville: A One‑Hour Encounter with Brooklyn’s Pioneering Free Black Community.
Tucked between present‑day Crown Heights and Bedford‑Stuyvesant, Weeksville was established in 1838 as an intentional landowning community for free Black residents. The Weeksville Heritage Center’s hour‑long public tour pulls the thread of that history — from James Weeks’s original lots to the rediscovery and preservation efforts that saved the Hunterfly Road Houses — revealing a story of ownership, resilience, and local activism.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Founding and Landownership, 1838
Weeksville began when dockworker James Weeks and other African American investors purchased property in 1838 to build an intentional, landowning free Black community—an origin that shapes every stop on the tour.
Rediscovered and Rescued in 1968
When urbanization threatened Weeksville’s few remaining structures in 1968, grassroots preservation led by James Hurley, Dewey Harley, Dolores McCullough, Patricia Johnson and later Joan Maynard saved the Hunterfly Road Houses and the memory of the community.
Hunterfly Road Houses Up Close
The tour focuses on the historic Hunterfly Road Houses—surviving domestic structures that anchor Weeksville’s story and stand as the tangible result of community preservation efforts.
What the day feels like
What the public tour feels like
In sixty minutes the guide traces Weeksville’s arc: the decision to buy land in 1838, life in an independent free Black enclave, the near‑loss of its built record in the 20th century, and the local activism that reclaimed and preserved key houses. The tour centers on the Hunterfly Road Houses and the narrative of grassroots preservation that saved them.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this public tour suits—and who should plan accordingly.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
The public tour runs approximately 1 hour.
Meet at the Weeksville Heritage Center for departure; tours are operated by the Weeksville Heritage Center.
No special gear is required; bring comfortable shoes and be prepared to climb 2–3 stairs to enter the historic houses.
The Hunterfly Road Houses are historic landmarks and are not wheelchair accessible; access requires stairs and there is very limited seating inside the houses.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the tour?
The public tour lasts one hour.
Where do tours begin?
Tours meet at the Weeksville Heritage Center.
Are the Hunterfly Road Houses wheelchair accessible?
No; the Hunterfly Road Houses are not wheelchair accessible and entering each house requires using 2–3 stairs.
Is there seating inside the houses?
Seating inside the historic houses is very limited.
What age is the tour suitable for?
The tours are recommended for ages 7 and up.