Suzanne Spellen, freelance writer

02/02/2026

Celebrate Black History Month while we still have it. I'm giving a virtual tour of the Abolitionist Movement in Brooklyn. Wednesday, Feb.4th, 6pm.

Tickets are still available at the Municipal Art Society's website:

[Virtual tour] Slavery in New York State was abolished in 1827, years after the New England states had rejected one group owning another in perpetuity. Slavery was good for business in New York City. The American Revolution’s declaration of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” did not ...

12/30/2025

Brownstoner collected all the articles I wrote for them in 2025 and posted links here. Please have a read or two or more. I'm looking forward to writing another year's worth of articles in 2026.

https://www.brownstoner.com/history/brooklyn-history-architecture-suzanne-spellen-2025/

11/14/2025

I wrote a version of this piece in October for Brownstoner.com. Here, with some changes is the story on my substack page.

https://suzannespellen.substack.com/p/bringing-the-exotic-east-home

Today, some might call it "cultural appropriation," but many in the late 19th century just called it their exotic and stylish "Turkish Corner."

11/02/2025

I wrote about this house a long time ago for Brownstoner.com, and again many years later for my friend Paul Murphy, who today has the listing for Compass Real Estate. I was also one of the people the NYT author spoke to about its history. It's a really interesting article about a rare survivor in Brooklyn Heights.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/31/realestate/greek-revival-townhouse-brooklyn-heights.html?

A Greek Revival townhouse, the sole survivor of its row, heads to market after over half-a-century in the same family.

10/30/2025

I've just posted a new story on my substack page. It's a Bronx tale - the story of the Amalgamated Houses, a very important part of housing history in New York City. I hope you like it.

If you haven't already, please subscribe to my page. It's free, and there is also the opportunity to support my work with a subscription. Thanks to all current and future subscribers for your support.

The strength and power of needle trade workers to change housing in America

10/17/2025

Troy's Oakwood Cemetery is 175 years old this year. As part of the celebration, I will be conducting a video tour featuring Garnet Douglass Baltimore, civil engineer. He was the first African American to graduate from RPI (1881) and went on to have a stellar career with engineering and landscape projects across NY State.

Here in Troy, where he lived most of his life, he designed Prospect Park, laid out several sections of Oakwood Cemetery, mapped the entire city, and much more. An amazing feat for any engineer, but especially amazing considering he was a Black man working between 1881 and 1946.

The event takes place this Sunday, 10/19, at 2:30, in the beautiful Gardner Earl Memorial Chapel. It's free, but registration is required. Please click on the link. I hope to see you there, and bring a friend.

https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/anniversary-weekend-garnet-douglass-baltimore-a-son-of-troy-lecture

10/14/2025

I haven't been posting my substack stories on FB for a while, don't ask me why, it was a dumb move, but I'm going to make sure I get back to that with this post.

Please check out my substack page for stories you may have missed. (suzannespellen.substack.com) Please subscribe, it's free, and if you want to support my work by being a paid subscriber, I greatly appreciate it. See any story for links to do either. Thanks.

https://suzannespellen.substack.com/p/mozart-concert-gardens-a-little-germany

Concert Gardens were popular entertainment venues in the late 19th century.

06/13/2025

Susan DeVries, who is Brownstoner's Photo and Research Director, came to Troy for a visit. We spent much of the day together and I gave her a tour. We had a lot of fun, and covered a lot of ground. Everyone should come visit my home for the last 13 years. Here is the story she just posted on Brownstoner.

For architectural enthusiasts, Troy in New York has some fabulous gems, including vestiges of its industrial past and intact Gilded Age mansions.

05/25/2025

Please check out my latest piece for Brownstoner, reprinted here on my substack feed.

In the 19th century, the shoreline from Williamsburg to Red Hook was full of ships and warehouses, and shipping was Brooklyn’s biggest industry.

05/04/2025

Here's my latest substack post. I hope you enjoy.

For most of us, our milk has many steps between the cows in the pasture and the milk on our supermarket shelves. Pour a glass of moo juice and grab a cookie and enjoy the story of NY milk.

04/08/2025

My latest Substack post:

During America's 250 years of slavery, Canada was the ultimate destination for freedom seekers.

03/09/2025

The history of one of Brooklyn's most impressive institutions is today's story. It originally appeared on Brownstoner.com on 3/5/25.

https://open.substack.com/pub/suzannespellen/p/brooklyns-first-free-library-became?r=e3a7l&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

It grew from a small library to a massive and wide-ranging educational institution before focusing on art.