A hook of land on the Upper Bay, originally named Roode Hoek for the color of the clay found there. It is surrounded on three sides by water and on the fourth by the Gowanus Expressway. It was settled in the 1630s by the Dutch. In the 1850s, with the opening of the Atlantic Basin, it became one of the nation's busiest merchant centers. Throughout the Civil War its harbor serviced many ships in need of supplies and repair. In 1936, The Red Hook Housing Complex was developed to accommodate the families of the many dockworkers. As a sometime home to Al Capone, the area has long held a tough image, as portrayed in such classic movies as "On The Waterfront". Today it holds a growing artist community intent on refurbishing the area.