It was named a National Historic Landmark in January, 1965,[2] designated a New York City Landmark in November, 1965,[3] and added to the National Register of Historic Places in October, 1966.

[4] The district is bounded by Cadman Plaza West (Old Fulton Street) on the north, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway on the west, Atlantic Avenue on the south, and an irregular line that partly follows Clinton and Henry Streets on the east.

[3] It is of national significance as an early commuter suburb, and as a remarkably well-preserved 19th-century urban streetscape.

[6] The development of Brooklyn Heights as a fashionable residential area began with the introduction of ferry service to Manhattan in 1814.

By the mid-19th century, the area was served by three ferry services as well as the Brooklyn and Jamaica Railroad, and it was one of New York's premier residential addresses.