Battery Park is at the Southern tip of Manhattan with beautiful views of the Harbor, the Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island. Parking is available near the park for your New York car rental, or take public transportation. This is one of New Yorks oldest open public spaces, with 23 acres of waterfront land. In the summer, there are beautiful promenades and other activities, such as open-air concerts. Also, many other famous New York landmarks are within walking distance. They include the New York Stock Exchange, the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian, and the Staten Island Ferry. You can drive your New York car rental down for the day and explore this section of New York City.
A New World
The land where Battery Park now stands is where the Hudson and East Rivers meet. Dutch settlers landed here in 1623 and built a battery of cannon to defend the new city, which they called New Amsterdam. Fortifications were built over the years, until the War of 1812, when Castle Clinton was built. After tensions between Canada and the U.S. calmed down, Castle Clinton was renamed Castle Garden and made into a cultural center. By the mid-1800s, Castle Garden became the first immigrant receiving center before Ellis Island was established. At the end of that century, the Castle was turned into the New York Aquarium, one of the first in the country. Come down with your New York car rental and experience this part of early American history.
The Gardens of Remembrance
Battery Park has extensive gardens on the property. The Upper Promenades gardens are now called the Gardens of Remembrance as a tribute to the survivors of September 11, as well as a place of solace and renewal. There are 109 varieties of hybrid perennials and native plants through all four seasons.
Monuments and Memorials to See
Netherlands Memorial this memorial was dedicated by the people of the Netherlands to commemorate their history at Battery Park.
Fort George Memorial this memorial marks the spot of the southwest bastion. It has disappeared and been rediscovered twice since 1817.
New York Korean War Veterans Memorial this memorial is dedicated to the veterans of the Korean War.
There are many more memorials dedicated to important events in New York Citys history. Be sure to visit them when you come down with your New York car rental.
Recent Findings
Come see Battery Park and the history of early New York with your New York car rental. On December 8, 2005, workers found a 200-year-old stone wall where they were beginning to work on a new subway station. “This wall most likely is a portion of the gun batteries that once protected the city in the late 17th and 18th centuries and gave rise to the modern park name,” said Robert Tierney, chairman of the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
Come down to Battery Park for a relaxing day and to experience part of New Yorks history with your New York car rental.