Green-Wood Cemetery

Green-Wood Cemetery, once a place of rural repose, now in the middle of Brooklyn. 

The entrance to Green-Wood, completed in 1865. During this period Green-Wood was the second most popular tourist destination in America, second to Niagara Falls.

We're returning to Brooklyn for a visit to Green-Wood Cemetery. Completed in 1838, in what then was the far reaches of Brooklyn. Churchyards throughout the city had little space left and situating a large park-like cemetery in rural Brooklyn was the solution. It is the final resting place of Horace Greeley, Louis Comfort Tiffany, Boss Tweed and more recently, Leonard Bernstein. It predates both Central Park and Prospect Park in Brooklyn and was a popular site for picnics. It is still a beautiful place to visit and there is an active calendar of historic programs and events. It is easy to reach via mass transit.

A quiet summer afternoon at Green-Wood. 

It is also the site of the Battle of Long Island -- also known as the Battle of Brooklyn in New York City -- which was a critical battle in the Revolutionary War. The picture above is from a commemoration I went to last summer on the 240th anniversary of the battle.

I've gotten somewhat behind on my Blogging from A to Z Challenge, but I will be finishing the Challenge and the alphabet. No letter will be neglected.

As ever, thanks for visiting and please join me next for a post about Alexander Hamilton. 

Battle of Brooklyn Pink Saturday

Wonderful exhibits on Life in the Revolutionary Era were part of today's commemoration of the Battle of Brooklyn. 

I've been fortunate this summer and had the opportunity to experience just about all of the goals I had for this summer. I had some great times with people close to me -- always at the top of my list -- traveled, enjoyed beach time and finally got to yoga classes. There are the ongoing long-term goals of doing a little home redecorating and more writing, but it's been a great summer. I was thinking about the summer yesterday and remembered one goal I hadn't gotten to doing. I had hoped to explore sites related to the Battle of Brooklyn -- the first battle of the Revolutionary War -- but the heat had sidetracked some of the excursions I'd planned around New York City.



I turned to my friend, Google, last night and discovered that the 240th anniversary of the Battle was yesterday. Equally fortuitous Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, the site of the battle, was holding a commemoration today. Though it was hotter than I would have liked I made the trip to Green-Wood, one of the most interesting historical sites in New York City.

The main gate of Green-Wood Cemetery. In the far distance is the World Trade Tower in Manhattan. 

Green-Wood was founded in 1838, in area that was rural Brooklyn. It became the burial place for many famous New Yorkers, from Boss Tweed to Louis Comfort Tiffany to Leonard Bernstein. Now a National Historic Landmark, it is still in use and there are areas where present day New Yorkers can be buried. It is beautifully cared for and well preserved. The city of Brooklyn and then the borough of Brooklyn grew up around it and there is a subway stop only a block away from the main gate. I enjoyed both the beauty and the history and am already planning a return trip in the fall for more exploration.   

 

Sadly, the first battle of the Revolutionary War did not go well for the American troops. Outnumbered by the better equipped British troops, their losses were high and by mid-September New York had fallen to the British. But 240 years and a day ago they took a stand on this hill in Brooklyn.  

 

I've got a few blog posts lined up for this week. There will be a book review tomorrow and I've got some beautiful pictures of the Thousand Island Historic Park for a post later in the week. There are several other summer experiences I want to share before the days pass and it's all pumpkins and apples. Please stop by at Pink Saturday for more end of summer fun.

 

As ever, thanks for visiting and take care and savor these sweet last days before Labor Day.





It's (the Waning Minutes of) Bunker Hill Day

Boston, well after the Battle of Bunker Hill.

 

 

Earlier today, and for some reason that's slipped from memory, I googled the lyrics to "Yankee Doodle." Yes, I'm embarrassed to admit, I couldn't remember all of the words to Yankee Doodle, a song I probably sang a thousand times when I was growing up. Be that as it may, I went from Yankee Doodle to another link to another link and I noticed that today was the anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill, fought on June 17, 1775. It was early in the Revolutionary War and the goal for the Continental troops was to break the Siege of Boston. 

 

I've spent a good part of this evening reading about the Revolutionary War. I know I studied it in elementary school and then again in high school, but so many details have been lost in the swirl of decades. I've always enjoyed the study of history -- it was my minor in college -- and have continued reading about history in the years since college. But I've forgotten how much I enjoyed learning about past events, especially early American history. I think it's time to start reading again, and learning more about events that took place in New York. I grew up in Connecticut and we learned the history of Connecticut and New England, but I never formally studied New York history.

 

One of my summer projects is to find the remnants of the Revolutionary War in New York City. The Battle of Brooklyn/Long Island is at the top of my list to learn about. In the next two months -- before the anniversary of the Battle of Brooklyn, August 27 -- we'll be going to history summer school. But it's going to be a fun summer school -- out of doors and with an iced coffee in hand.

 

That's one of my summer projects. What are your special plans for the summer?

 

As ever thanks for visiting and have a sweet Saturday!