En guide til at udforske Colonial New York City

Sendt: 9/24/20 | 24. september 2020

Som historie nørd elsker jeg at tage et dybt dykk i en destinations fortid. Jeg er en fast tro på, at hvis du ikke forstår, hvor folk er kommet fra, vil du aldrig forstå, hvor de er nu. Det er en stor grund til, at jeg elsker museer så meget.

Som en af ​​de ældste byer i landet har New York City en masse historie.

Først afgjort af hollænderne som “New Amsterdam”, overgav den hollandske byen til engelskmennene i 1664. Byen var et stort handelscenter beliggende ved mundingen af ​​Hudson -floden. Efter revolutionen var New York centrum for Amerikas magt og regering og blev officielt landets hovedstad i 1789, da George Washington blev svoret ind. Mens det ikke længere er landets hovedstad (det flyttede til Philadelphia året efter og derefter til Washington, DC I 1800) var NYC stadig det bankende hjerte i landet.

Da jeg elsker at tilføje “temaer” til mine rejser, er et fantastisk tema til dit besøg i New York kolonial historie – og meget af byens koloniale historie er stadig til stede i dag.

De fleste af seværdighederne er placeret i Financial District (en af ​​de mest undervurderede dele af NYC), så det er let at besøge alt på en dag. Her er hvad man skal se:

1. Batteriet (alias Battery Park)

Beliggende på den sydlige idé om Manhattan, er denne park, hvor hollænderne byggede Fort Amsterdam i 1625 for at forsvare deres bosættelse. Briterne overtog området i 1664 og omdøbte det til sidst Fort George. Fort’s Cannon -batteri blev ikke brugt før 1776, da amerikanske styrker overtog det efter at have erklæret uafhængighed. Mens fortet for det meste blev ødelagt under revolutionen, blev batteriet udvidet efter krigens afslutning.

I dag er der over 20 monumenter og plaques i parken, der dækker alt fra den revolutionære krig og krigen i 1812 til indvandring og meget mere. Du kan vandre rundt i fortet og derefter slentre gennem den omkringliggende park og tage den smukke udsigt over havnefronten over havnen, Frihedsgudinden og Ellis Island.

2. Fraunces Tavern

Dette er den ældste bar i New York City, der er blevet konverteret fra et hjem (bygget i 1719) til en kro i 1762. Før revolutionen ville Sons of Liberty (en hemmelig anti-britisk organisation grundlagt af Samuel Adams) mødes Her for at gå over deres planer og filosofier.

Under krigen blev bygningen beskadiget, da Alexander Hamilton stjal det britiske artilleri og provokerede en handling fra den britiske flåde end sendte en kanonkugle gennem taget. Efter krigen sagde George Washington farvel til sine officerer og tropper fra den kontinentale hær her.

Da krigen sluttede, blev der afholdt møder mellem briterne og amerikanerne her for at gå over slaveri. USA insisterede på, at ingen slaver frigivet af briterne kunne forlade os jord (mange var allerede blevet sendt til frihed i det, der nu er Canada). (Det var ikke et af vores fineste øjeblikke som land.)

I dag, på første sal, er der en temmelig respektabel restaurant (dog lidt overpris) og en bar med et stort udvalg af trækøl. Tavernaen er også vært for historiske samtaler såvel som begivenheder som Trivia Nights. Det er også hjemsted for et lille museum på anden sal, der inkluderer alle slags historiske artikler og genstande. Til 300 -årsdagen for bygningens konstruktion i 2019 blev der oprettet en ny udstilling, der kroniserede dens historie, for at fremhæve de væsentlige begivenheder, der fandt sted her.

54 Pearl St, +1 (212) -425-1778, frauncestavernmuseum.org. Åben mandag-fredag ​​kl. 12 til 17 og lørdag-søndag kl. 11 til 17.

3. Bowling Green

Denne offentlige park er den ældste i NYC. I kolonitiden installerede briterne en gyldt hovedstatue på 4.000 pund for kong George III på hesteryg. Det blev kontinuerligt vandaliseret, hvilket førte op til krigen, tvang briterne til at opbygge et hegn omkring parken (den, der stadig står i dag) og skaber love om vandanalisme.

Efter at uafhængighedserklæringen blev læst i 1776, blev statuen væltet og nedbrudt. Hovedet blev angiveligt sendt til England. Kroppen, så historien går, blev smeltet ned i kugler for den kontinentale hær.

I dag forbliver området en park, og der er en plak på hegnet med en kort historisk oversigt.

4. Trinity Church

Den oprindelige Trinity Church blev bygget i 1698 og var en lille sognekirke konstrueret af Church of England. Da briterne beslaglagde New York efter George Washingtons tilbagetog, blev det brugt som en britisk driftsbase.

Den oprindelige kirke blev ødelagt i den store ild i 1776, en massiv flamme, der udslettede op mod 25% af byen (amerikanerne beskyldte briterne for at have startet ilden, mens briterne beskyldte revolutionærerne). Den nye bygning, mod Wall Street, blev indviet i 1790. George Washington og Alexander Hamilton tilbad regelmæssigt her. Kirken blev udvidet i 1839 til sin nuværende form.

Kirkegården går tilbage til 1700’erne og har masser af populære amerikanere der, herunder Hamilton og hans WIFe Elizabeth, Francis Lewis (signatory on the declaration of Independence), John Alsop (Continental Congress delegate), Albert Gallatin (founder of NYU), Horatio Gates (Continental army general), John Morin Scott (general and first secretary of state of new York), and Lord Stirling (Continental army general).

75 Broadway, +1 212-602-0800, trinitywallstreet.org. excursions of the cemetery are available on request. There is also a self-guided excursion app you can download from the website.

5. federal Hall national Memorial

This national memorial has served as new York’s city hall and the united states custom-made House, as well as the site of the first Congress of the united states and George Washington’s presidential inauguration. It was also where the Continental Congress of 1765 met to go over the stamp Act, a tax imposed by the British crown.

The current structure, built in 1812, has a small museum that sheds light on the origins of America. part of the balcony and railing where Washington was inaugurated are still on display as well. It’s one of my favorite spots in new York — and one way too often overlooked by visitors!

26 wall St, +1 (212) 825-6990, nps.gov/feha/index.htm. open daily 9am–5pm. Admission is free. complimentary guided excursions are available several times per day (check the web site for hours).

6. St. Paul’s Chapel

Just up the street from Trinity Church (and officially part of its parish) is the oldest surviving church in Manhattan. built in 1766, the Hearts of Oak (a student militia from Kings College) used the church’s grounds for drill practice during the Revolutionary War. Alexander Hamilton was an officer in the unit. After George Washington became the first president of the us in 1789, he attended services here, making the chapel his home church.

Today, it’s a national historic Site, having survived the great fire of 1776, the Revolutionary War, and 9/11. The chapel is a basic hall decorated in pale colors. Glass chandeliers hang from the flat ceiling. It’s not particularly ornate, having a a lot more modern and minimalist design (they use moveable chairs instead of seats to allow for a lot more flexibility in what events can be held here).

209 Broadway, +1 212-602-0800, trinitywallstreet.org/about/stpaulschapel. excursions are used every Sunday at 11:15am after service. Admission is free. dress respectfully, as this is a place of worship.

7. City Hall Park

This park is where new Yorkers held rallies both before and during the Revolutionary War, including a rally against the stamp Act in 1765. When the Act was repealed the following year, a new flagpole was built here — known as the liberty pole — which waved a flag that said “Liberty.” people also gathered here to hear Washington read the declaration of independence in 1776; the spot is marked by a plaque from 1892 (another marks the location of the liberty Pole).

During the war, the British converted it into a prison to hold American prisoners of war, where over 250 Americans were executed. In 1783, when the war was won, Washington raised an American flag over the park.

Nowadays, it’s a pretty park with a fountain and benches to kick back on. You’ll see a lot of people here during lunch. (Well, at least you did pre-COVID.)

8. African Burial Ground national Monument

During the war of Independence, around 25% of the population of new York City was enslaved Africans or people of African descent. Over 40% of the population owned slaves, and the success and development of the city relied heavily on the work of enslaved men and women.

Once known as the “Negroes Burial Ground,” this is the largest colonial-era cemetery for both complimentary and enslaved Black Americans. Studies estimate that upwards of 15,000 people were buried here in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The site is a us national Monument as well as a national historic Landmark. A monument and a visitor’s center were built in 2007 to make sure that this crucial piece of history is not forgotten. inside the visitor’s center are several exhibitions, films, and dioramas highlighting the life of slaves in the city. visitors can learn how slaves were brought over by the Dutch, what their funerals were like, how they survived the extreme conditions in the city, and what archeologists learned when they exhumed the bodies from the area before building the monument.

290 Broadway, +1 (212) 238-4367, nps.gov/afbg/index.htm. open Tuesday-Saturday 10am–4pm. complimentary excursions are available from the visitor’s center. check the web site for dates and times.

9. Van Cortlandt house Museum

This is the oldest building in the Bronx and one of the oldest surviving buildings in the entire country. built in 1748 by African slaves, the property was used during the Revolutionary war by the Comte de Rochambeau, the Marquis de Lafayette, and George Washington (who had his headquarters here during the final years of the war).

It’s one of the oldest historic museum houses in the country (the fourth oldest to be precise), and much of the furniture and items on display are from the colonial era. Today, you can excursion the house to see what life was like during the war.

6036 Broadway, Van Cortlandt Park, +1 (718) 543-3344, vchm.org. open Tuesday-Friday 10am–4pm and weekends 11am–4pm. Admission is $5 USD.

Bonus Sites!

On Staten Island, you’ll find The conference House, where Ben Franklin led a peace delegation in 1776 (it failed). The house has been refurbished and does events throughout the year. It’s open now by private booking.

On the corner of Pearl and Broad, you’ll find the brick outline of Stadt Huys, the first city hall as well some glass portals that look down to remnants of the colonial city that were found in the 1970s.

You’ll also find bricks that show you where the old shoreline used to be during colonial days. (Everything from broad down is landfill created to expand the city as it became a bigger and bigger shipping hub.)

Guidede ture

While it’s really easy to walk around and see these sites for yourself, a walking excursion can supply a lot a lot more historical context (you know I love a good walking tour!). here are some paid and self-guided options:

George Washington’s new York – download the app “GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities” for this complimentary self-guided tour. It’s a great companion to the above itinerary.

New York historical excursions – NY historical excursions runs a private two-hour “Alexander Hamilton and the Founding Fathers” excursion on the birth of America and the men who made it possible. At $249 USD, this is best split among a group.

Revolutionary excursions – This three-hour “Washington and Hamilton” excursion is a deep dive into colonial history. It’s informative and entertaining and will give you a much deeper appreciation for these two giants of history. It’s $35 USD per person. (Currently not running any excursions due to COVID.)

Patriot excursions – Patriot excursions uses both a Hamilton excursion as well as one on the Revolutionary war as a whole. They’re led by author and historian Karen Q and cost $40 USD per person. Karen also runs virtual excursions in case you want to travel from the comfort and safety of home during the pandemic.

***
New York City has a lot of history you shouldn’t miss. Whether you’re trying to find a complete historical excursion or just want to add some historical sights into your existing new York City itinerary, these suggestions will supply a look beyond the standard vacationer trail. considering that a lot of all these sites are close together (Van Cortlandt house is in the Bronx), you can visit them in a day.

P.S. – There’s also a number of parks around nyc that used to be the locations for forts (and the forts that are there date from the 1800s) but there’s nothing really there now to see so I’ve left them off this list.

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