Originally settled by the Dutch in the 1600s, the area was rural until the early 1800s. It was selected by John R. Pitkin for the site of his shoe factory, and named such for its eastern end location in metropolitan NYC. Pitkin hoped to turn the area into a rival of Manhattan by drawing businesses and residents to the area. But a financial panic altered his plan. In 1852, the town of New Lots was incorporated, absorbing the smaller surrounding communities. Soon after, it was annexed by the City of Brooklyn. In 1903, upon the opening of the Williamsburgh Bridge, the area experienced an increase in population, as it did again in 1922 with the advent of the subway. The population of the area continued to surge into the 1940s. The 1950s and 1960s saw a significant decrease in area population, prompting various Urban Renewal Programs.