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Oral histories are intimate conversations between and among people who have generously agreed to share these recordings with BHS’s archives and researchers. Please listen in the spirit with which these were shared. BHS abides by the General Principles & Best Practices for Oral History as agreed upon by the Oral History Association and expects that use of this material will be done with respect for these professional ethics.
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[Last name, First name], Oral history interview conducted by [Interviewer’s First name Last name], [Month DD, YYYY], [Title of Collection], [Call #]; Brooklyn Historical Society.
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Allan Kramer
Oral history interview conducted by Sady Sullivan
September 04, 2008
Call number: 2008.031.6.003
0:03 - Introductions; family history with Brooklyn from 1881 and earlier ancestry; Park Slope & Prospect Pk. youth; his & father's high schools
7:15 - Legacy of Brooklyn Prep; attending College of Holy Cross; 1st bagel; family record with Montauk Club; brunches & dinners with his folks
14:35 - Publishing career limited contact with Montauk Club; his Board member and president status at club; selling & developing building but retaining club; membership; decline of Brooklyn clubs; establishing & building clubhouse
22:16 - Founding members; original floor plan & restricted areas to women; behind club's name; Terra Cotta decor; Board structure
30:57 - Relationship to Park Slope; club members' demographics & events; his Pratt library studies
38:36 - Value of Brooklyn institutions; his home in Park Slope; value of Botanic Garden, other institutions
46:14 - Preserving & sharing history; club access to public; mayors' houses
52:50 - Historic homes & notable residents; "Battle of Brooklyn;" closing business; view of Grand Army Plaza
59:03 - Touring club: references to Terra Cotta, glass, bowling alley, photos, portraits, apt. entry, maps, carpeting
Interview Description
Oral History Interview with Allan Kramer
Allan F. Kramer II was born, raised, and resides in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn. He attended St. Savior School and Brooklyn Preparatory School. He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 1972 and from Pratt Institute in 1979, attaining a graduate degree in Information Science. He worked in publishing and took an interest in many Brooklyn organizations; including as a volunteer and committee member at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden since 1978; Board of Directors of CAMBA; Past Board member and President of the private Montauk Club in Park Slope; a member of the Municipal Club of the City; Board member of the Prospect Park YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association); Executive Board Member and the Treasurer of Reel Works: Teen Filmmaking; Board member and President of the New York Memory Center; and a Life Member of the Society of Old Brooklynites.
In this interview, while onsite at the Montauk Club during an event, Allan F. Kramer II begins by talking about his family's long residence in Brooklyn. He recalls his early years of living in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn and visits to Prospect Park. Kramer recounts where he attended school. He speaks about the Montauk Club via his family's membership. Kramer's adulthood didn't initially include much time at the club because of his career, he says, but he made up for it by later becoming a Board member and President. He describes the changing nature of the club; historically and structurally. Kramer shares some history of the neighborhood, as well. In closing, he gives a short tour and points out visually impressive features. Interview conducted by Sady Sullivan.
The Voices of Brooklyn oral histories: Sports and leisure series features a dynamic range of narrators. Some are known public figures and others are well-known in their field, all having proactively contributed to the athletic pursuits or relaxing diversions of the borough. This ongoing series focuses on Brooklyn history and the experiences of these narrators, as well as documents local, national and international cultural events. The oldest narrator in this series was born in 1931.
Citation
Kramer, Allan, Oral history interview conducted by Sady Sullivan, September 04, 2008, Voices of Brooklyn oral histories: Sports and leisure, 2008.031.6.003; Brooklyn Historical Society.People
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden
- Brooklyn Preparatory School
- Kramer, Allan
- Montauk Club of Brooklyn
Topics
- Historic buildings
- Historic preservation
- Private clubs
- Societies
- Voluntarism
Places
- Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.)
- Park Slope (New York, N.Y.)
Finding Aid
Voices of Brooklyn oral histories: Sports and leisure