Willink Entrance, c. 1905
Original photograph courtesy of The Brooklyn Historical Society. Digital copy available at the Prospect Park Archives.
Located on Flatbush Avenue at the junction of Empire Boulevard and Ocean Avenue, the Willink entrance was named after the Willink family, who occupied a home near the same location. Designed in 1890 by McKim, Mead & White, this Beaux-Arts style entrance is flanked by two 20-feet tall granite pillars that overlook a cobblestone plaza. The cylindrical pillars are topped by decorative bronze supports originally designed to hold light globes. A gently curving stone wall and bench emerges from the base of each pillar. Visible in the background of this photo is an early version of today’s Willink Comfort Station. The Willink entrance is the second-most heavily used entrance to the Park.