12 Van Dyke Street

On a cool evening in late October, I drove to Van Dyke Street, likely named for the Van Dyke family, who at one point owned most of Red Hook in the 18th century. The street was quiet, with a few trucks passing by. As I drove down the road, I saw more names here and there; there were names on doors, walls, and fences. It was like looking at something out of paint-by-number, or rather paint-by-name.