Girls' High School

Girls' High School is a secondary school featuring Gothic Revival architecture in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. The red brick building on Nostrand Avenue has two symmetrical pavilions flanking a central entrance with a bell tower, designed by architect James W. Naughton.

The school was founded in 1885 and grew out of Brooklyn's first public secondary school, the Central Grammar School. The building received landmark status to protect its architectural qualities as time passed.

The school shapes the neighborhood with its distinctive red brick and Gothic features that catch the eye as people walk past. The building stands today as a visible mark of the area's educational history and draws people interested in historic school architecture.

The building is a protected city landmark with publicly visible architecture that you can view and photograph from the street. It is best visited during daytime when the Gothic details and brickwork are clearly visible in good light.

The school was shaped by a principal who enforced strict rules until 1902 that banned female students from running, sports, dancing, and social gatherings. These unusual restrictions reveal how different education and expectations for girls were at that time.

Location: Brooklyn

Inception: 1885

Architects: James W. Naughton

Architectural style: Gothic Revival, Second Empire style

Address: 475 Nostrand Avenue

GPS coordinates: 40.68150,-73.94960

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:44