The Newtown Pentacle

It’s National Hamburger Day, in these United States.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

One last bit of Kosciuszcko Bridge oriented coverage in today’s post, and then we’ll get back to the whole Sunset Park thing next week. As you may have heard, last week the band of warriors who had vowed to defend the old bridge with Wolves and Fire gathered on the Queens side of the Newtown Creek in the Blissville section of Long Island City.

You bet that I made it a point of attending this one, and there’s part of the horde pictured above.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

There was only one wolf. Actually, she was a shepherd/husky mix named Wendy and one of the sweetest critters I’ve ever met, but… wolf!

The chief of the warriors is pictured above as well, a fellow named Brian, who was also a fairly sweet critter. There was no fire, but it was a fairly hot day on Saturday the 22nd, so the last thing we needed were torches.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

These “Kosrahki” began their march to the bridge, brandishing weaponry and bristling with hostile intent for the NYS DOT, and the “false bridge” which they described as a brightly lit harlot and pretender.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

Warlord Brian read a prepared speech, commanding the new bridge to fall into the Newtown Creek. It disobeyed his orders, as a note, which caused a hostile reaction from the group.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

Quoting from their Facebook page:

“Join a band of dedicated warriors as we gather our strength and battle against the invasive Bridge-bringers who are our sworn enemies. All you faithful supporters of the TRUE KOSCIUSZKO BRIDGE know that the TIME OF FIRE is upon us, and we must bring pain to our enemies and their allies.

Join us as we form a circle of sword wielding human warriors and their wolf warrior brethren and sistren. Together between the strength of WOLF AND IRON we shall bring defeat to our enemies, and the true KOSCIUSZKO BRIDGE shall stand for another day, and the imposter FALSE BRIDGE shall fall into the seas of Newtown for all eternity.”

– photo by Mitch Waxman

Frustrated, the group headed over to the Bantry Bay bar on Greenpoint Avenue, to drown their sorrows in grog after the campaign.

Upcoming Tours and events

The Insalubrious Valley of the Newtown Creek Walking Tour, with Newtown Creek Alliance – Saturday August 5th, 11 a.m. – 1;30 p.m.

Century old movable bridges, the remains of a 19th century highway between Brooklyn and Queens, and explore two of the lesser known tributaries of the troubled Newtown Creek watershed. For the vulgarly curious, Conrad Wissell’s Dead Animal and Night Soil wharf will be seen and described, with NCA Historian Mitch Waxman – details here.

Brooklyn Waterfront Boat Tour, with Working Harbor Committee – Saturday August 12th, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Explore the coastline of Brooklyn from Newtown Creek to Sunset Park, with NCA Historian Mitch Waxman, Andrew Gustafson of Turnstile Tours, and Gordon Cooper of Working Harbor Committee narrating, and discussing Brooklyn’s industrial past and rapidly changing present. – details here.

The Poison Cauldron of the Newtown Creek Walking Tour, with Newtown Creek Alliance – Sunday August 13th, 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Explore the hellish waste transfer and petroleum districts of North Brooklyn on this daring walk towards the doomed Kosciuszko Bridge, with NCA Historian Mitch Waxman – details here.

Two Newtown Creek Boat Tours, with Newtown Creek Alliance and Open House NY – Wednesday August 16th, 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The neighborhoods surrounding Newtown Creek are home to the densest collection of these garbage facilities anywhere in the city and collectively, the waste transfer stations around and along Newtown Creek handle almost 40% of the waste that moves through New York. Join Newtown Creek Alliance’s Mitch Waxman and Willis Elkins  to learn about the ongoing efforts to address the environmental burden that this “clustering” has caused. – details here.

DUPBO Newtown Creek Walking Tour, with NYCH20 – Thursday August 24th, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Explore Greenpoint and Hunters Point, with NCA Historian Mitch Waxman – details here.

“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle