In the 1920s, Brighton Beach was an elite resort where wealthy Manhattan residents came to relax “by the sea,” as people said back then.
The main attraction was the Brighton Beach Hotel — a five-star establishment by the standards of the time. Enormous and luxurious, with verandas, dance halls, a restaurant with a live orchestra, and its own pier.
The famous Brooklyn, Flatbush and Coney Island Railway (BF&CI) ran to Brighton. The cars were wooden, open, with brass handrails — a real delight for that era.
A trip to the seaside felt like a small adventure.
Next to Brighton buzzed the life of Coney Island — amusement parks, lights, circuses, rides, Luna Park and Steeplechase Park. But Brighton itself was quieter, more respectable, and more expensive.
Then came the downturn of the 1930s: the hotel became outdated, the Great Depression began, large hotels started closing, and the fashion for resorts shifted toward Florida. The neighborhood became more accessible and “down-to-earth.”
Soviet and Russian-speaking immigration began arriving only after World War II, and especially after the 1970s — but that is a different story.
Location: Brighton Beach, New York
