The Old Stone House today.

For most of the second half of the twentieth century, the historic Old Stone House was a forlorn recreation facility in a tough park on the margins of a Brooklyn, NY, industrial area. Today the area is a burgeoning middle-class community, and the Old Stone House has been rediscovered.

The existing building is a reconstruction of a Dutch farmhouse, built in 1699, that was twice at the center of American history. On August 28, 1776, the British and American armies fought a little-known battle around it that was the largest of the American Revolution until Yorktown. A century later, the house served as the clubhouse for the Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers, the baseball team that became the legendary Dodgers. In the 1890's the house was buried in landfill, where it stood until Robert Moses rebuilt it nearby as part of a park development.

1893: The house just prior to being buried in landfill.

In the early 1990s, a handful of local residents came to recognize the importance of the site and organized to create an Historic Interpretive Center. With the support of a local foundation, government funding and individual contributions, the organization grew slowly, working toward a breakthrough celebration planned for the 225th anniversary of the Battle of Brooklyn in 2001. Then the OSH was hit by a perfect storm: the aftermath of 9/11, a downturn in the national economy and loss of political support due to elections. The Old Stone House was on the ropes and needed to be put on a solid footing.

2007: OSH diorama depicts the Battle of Brooklyn.

Joseph McCarthy, McCarthy Communications’ president and a member of the OSH board, agreed to serve as the organization’s part-time interim executive director. He obtained commitments from two major foundations that bought some breathing room for the OSH. He then worked with the board and the staff to begin a fund-raising campaign, and to initiate a marketing effort that included a web site and print materials. He reached out to local schools to restart the education program, strengthened relationships with NYC’s Department of Parks and Recreation and with the Historic House Trust, and put professional management systems in place.

After almost a year, the near-term goal was accomplished: with money in hand, the organization was able to hire its first professional executive director. Since then, the budget has grown five-fold. The educational program is near capacity. The OSH has become a vibrant gathering place for the community, with programs that have included readings and panels, and staging movies, theater events, and small concerts. Its space is available for rental and has hosted birthday parties, bar mitzvahs and weddings. The OSH has continued work on its original mission of creating awareness of the Battle of Brooklyn and the nearly 800 Americans who gave their lives in the battle. www.theoldstonehouse.org

Also read about Mr. McCarthy’s film about the Battle of Brooklyn: The Brave Man. www.thebraveman.com