On Sunday, June 12, Marine Bay foodies can get their summer picnic fix at “A Taste the Neighborhood,” a food truck fare hosted by the Friends of the Lott House at the historic Hendrick I. Lott House.
For just $30, Brooklynites can enjoy unlimited eats at NYC-based food trucks including Jiannetto’s Pizza, Dumpling Wagon, Caribbean King plus dessert from Wafels & Dinges.
Friends of the Lott House, a non-profit organization that works to preserve and explain the history of the Lott House property, is hosting the food-filled event in hopes of honoring the culture and history of the home.
“As you eat, you’re invited to explore and enjoy the Lott House grounds and learn about the cultures that helped shape this historic building,” the organization said in a statement.
According Alyssa Loorya, Vice President of Friends of the Lott House and an archaeologist who helped excavate the property, the fare will serve as a unique variation to the organization’s summer backyard event. Planner’s examined the historic cookbooks and cooking methods used by the property and decided to focus on celebrating the cultures within the Marine Park area.
“As we have a multicultural community, we thought it would be somewhat different and fun to invite food trucks that represent some of the different cultures of our community,” Loorya said.
Vendors were then vetted to make the fare as inclusive as possible.
“We had ideas on what we were looking for based on some of the cultures within the community,”she said.
The Hendrick I. Lott House dates back to 1720 and is celebrated as the longest continually owned and occupied property by a single family in New York City.
“The family purchas[ed] the property in December of 1719 and own[ed] it all the way up to 2002 when the city of New York purchas[ed] the house and the remaining three quarters of the acre,” Loorya said. “They owned, at one point, [all of] what would become the Marine Park neighborhood.”
The Lott family, who originated from Holland, were also present for the exponential growth of the neighborhood which increased from roughly 750 people to 7,000 in the 1920s. Most of the population were Italian, Irish, and German immigrants — many of whom were hired by the Lott family to work on the farms, Loorya said.
“The house which really is the central point of the neighborhood, just witnessed this explosion of all these people coming in,” she said. “There has been a long history of immigrant workers, working on the farms.”
Loorya said this year’s cultural celebration is all about unifying Marine Park neighbors.
“It’s really about kind of bringing the community together in appreciation of each other’s cultures. In a way you can appreciate the individuality and the differences of the cultures and you can come together as New Yorkers,” she said. “It’s important for us to not just talk about the multi-faceted history but to be part of that community.”
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the eventbrite site.
