How Did Brooklyn Heights’ Fruit Streets Get Their Names?

The origins of Pineapple, Cranberry, and Orange streets are rooted in local lore. One popular legend attributes the names to Lady Middagh, who allegedly replaced signs named after elite families with fruit designations in the dead of night to protest their pomposity. Despite this tale, Middagh Street itself remains adjacent to the fruit streets.

Historians offer a more likely explanation involving the Hicks brothers, local landowners who laid out the neighborhood streets in the 1820s. The brothers, who sold exotic fruits, are also credited with naming nearby Poplar and Willow streets. Today, these blocks are celebrated for their historic architecture and quiet proximity to the Promenade.

Summary by Dispatch AI — read the full story at Brownstoner.