By Joseph Morales

              Clove Road is a small street in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn,(not to be confused with Clove Rd in Staten Island), that has a rich history but is abandoned in the present. Clove Road was far more significant in Brooklyn’s transportation network during colonial times(when horseback was the main mode of transportation), as Clove Rd ran from modern-day Fulton St to what is now Empire Blvd, and then continued as Canarsie Avenue to the west of Holy Cross Cemetery and then east on what is know known as Cortelyou Rd and entering Canarsie. Clove Rd got its name from the Dutch word “kloven” which means cleft, which meant that the road was originally in a valley in between two hills that have since been flattened.

              However, in the present day the road is just a dilapidated one block segment between Montgomery St and Empire Blvd. The road is extremely uneven and has the appearance that makes the road look like it may have not been repaved in an unusually long time. The road is inaccessible via Montgomery St as there is a lamp post with street signs as well as a sidewalk running directly through the intersection. Since the street is one way toward Empire Blvd, cars  pretty much cannot drive through it. Overgrown shrubs and cars in angled parking take up much of the street space and there are little curbs or sidewalks, making the street dangerous for pedestrians.  Vacant lots are present on both sides of the street, with part of the street being directly behind a supermarket parking lot. 

Read More »