EMPIRE DAIRY CO A BROOKLYN LANDMARK
The Highland is located in what was originally known as The Empire Dairy Company. Designed by Theobold Engelhardt from 1906 to 1907 and Otto Strack from 1914 to 1915, this building is reminiscent of Renaissance and Romanesque Revival styles while displaying aspects of Abstract Classicism and Secessionism.
ARCHITECTURAL ARTISTRY
Unlike most functional factories constructed at the time, The Highland features unique architectural details, including two bucolic terracotta murals on the building’s facade. The first mural depicts a woman leading a cow and calf to water while the second depicts a man leading a bull to water. Both murals are set in a lush landscape of meadows, pines, and mountains, harkening back to the original agrarian days of the farming industry. The murals were most likely made by hand and are thought to be the largest existing architectural installations created by American Encaustic Tile Company. The murals are an important and irreplaceable part of the architectural and artistic heritage of Brooklyn. As a result of the historic these murals and the building as a whole, local members of the community helped advocate for the building’s landmark status which was designated in 2017 and is one of the very few properties in this community to receive this designation.
