Park Slope was one of the earliest residential neighborhoods to develop in Brooklyn, attracting New Yorkers who could easily commute to thriving Manhattan via ferry service. This course of development can largely be attributed to Edwin Clarke Litchfield (1815-1885). During the 1850’s he purchased large tracts of farmland in the area and sold them off to residential developers. His legacy lives on in Brooklyn through his mansion home, Litchfield Villa, located in Prospect Park. Litchfield’s elegant estate, designed by Alexander Jackson Downing, became city property after his death. Today it is the headquarters of the Brooklyn Parks Department and a beloved Brooklyn landmark. Click the image to expand.