My spouse and I visited The Battery on a Saturday afternoon
in mid-August 2017. The public park is open daily and continuously; it is not
enclosed by any gates that prevent access. The Battery is a landscaped park
located at the tip of Manhattan. It lies on the southwest side of the island
along the Hudson River from the Staten Island Ferry terminal at its
southernmost point to 3rd Place (if you include adjacent Wagner and
South Cove Parks). The park lies adjacent to the Financial District.
Throughout history, The Battery has played a strategic role
for Manhattan. Located at the junction of the Hudson and East Rivers, it originally
served as a defensive citadel. The Battery’s most notable attraction is its
historic fortification. Fort Clinton was built for the War of 1812, replacing
the original Fort Amsterdam from the 1600s. A decade later, the fortress
reopened as Castle Garden, a concert hall. It later functioned as an early
version of Ellis Island as it welcomed America’s first immigrants (a total of
81 million people over a 35-year period from the mid- to late-1800s). It also
hosted a public aquarium before being declared an historic monument. Today,
Castle Clinton features a small museum, but it is most well-known as the place
to buy tickets to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
The present-day Battery offers an esplanade/promenade and
bike path that runs along the tip of the island. Its 25 acres of gardens
provide space for fountains and memorials to veterans ( US Coast Guard, Korean
War, American Merchant Mariners, WWII, Salvation Army, Marines, Wireless
Operators, Walloon Settlers) and individuals (Admiral Dewey, John Ambrose,
Peter Alberti, Giovanni da Verrazzano, John Ericsson, Emma Lazarus), as well as
some public art (“The Immigrants” statue). Food kiosks and restaurants include
Battery Gardens, Gigino at Wagner Park, Pier A Harbor House, and BlackTail. The
Seaglass Carousel is also worth a look - this indoor ride housed in a building
resembling the shape of a nautilus seashell has fish coaches that move
circularly via floor turntables rather than a traditional center pole. From
different terminals in the Battery, you can catch various ferries, including
the boat to Staten Island, Governor’s Island, Ellis Island, and the Statue of
Liberty; you can also sail on the Clipper City Tall Ship. The US Coast Guard
recruiting center is located within the park, as is the Museum of Jewish Heritage.
We enjoyed our leisurely stroll on a sunny Saturday through The
Battery.
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