Inlagd: 9/24/20 | 24 september 2020
Som History Nerd älskar jag att ta ett djupt dyk i ett destinationsförflutet. Jag tror på att om du inte förstår var människor har kommit ifrån kommer du aldrig att förstå var de är nu. Det är en stor anledning till att jag älskar museer så mycket.
Som en av de äldsta städerna i landet har New York City mycket historia.
Först bosatte sig av holländarna som “New Amsterdam”, den nederländska staden övergav sig till engelska 1664. Staden var ett stort handelscenter beläget vid mynningen av Hudson River. Efter revolutionen var New York navet i USA: s makt och regering och blev officiellt landets huvudstad 1789 när George Washington svarades in. Medan det inte längre är landets huvudstad (det flyttade till Philadelphia året efter och sedan till Washington, DC 1800) var NYC fortfarande det bankande hjärtat i landet.
Eftersom jag älskar att lägga till “teman” på mina resor är ett bra tema för ditt besök i New York kolonialhistoria – och mycket av stadens kolonialhistoria är fortfarande närvarande idag.
De flesta av sevärdheterna finns i finansdistriktet (en av de mest undervärderade delarna av NYC), så det är lätt att besöka allt på en dag. Här är vad man ska se:
1. Batteriet (aka Battery Park)
Denna park ligger på den södra idén om Manhattan, där holländarna byggde Fort Amsterdam 1625 för att försvara sin bosättning. Britterna tog området över 1664 och döpte så småningom till Fort George. Fortens kanonbatteri användes inte förrän 1776 när amerikanska styrkor tog över det efter att ha förklarat självständighet. Medan fortet mest förstördes under revolutionen, utvidgades batteriet efter krigets slut.
Idag finns det över 20 monument och plack i parken, som täcker allt från det revolutionära kriget och kriget 1812 till invandring och mycket mer. Du kan vandra runt fortet och sedan promenera genom den omgivande parken och ta in den vackra utsikten över vattnet i hamnen, Frihetsgudinnan och Ellis Island.
2. fraunces tavern
Detta är den äldsta baren i New York City, efter att ha konverterats från ett hem (byggdes 1719) till en tavern 1762. Före revolutionen skulle Sons of Liberty (en hemlig anti-brittisk organisation grundad av Samuel Adams) möta Här för att gå igenom sina planer och filosofier.
Under kriget skadades byggnaden när Alexander Hamilton stal brittisk artilleri och provocerade en åtgärd från den brittiska marinen än som skickade en kanonboll genom taket. Efter kriget sade George Washington farväl till sina officerare och trupper från den kontinentala armén här.
När kriget slutade hölls möten mellan briterna och amerikanerna här för att gå över slaveri. USA insisterade på att inga slavar frigjorda av briterna kunde lämna USA: s jord (många hade redan skickats till frihet i det som nu är Kanada). (Det var inte ett av våra finaste stunder som land.)
Idag, på första våningen, finns det en ganska respektabel restaurang (något för dyrt) och en bar med ett stort urval av dragöl. Tavern är också värd för historiska samtal, liksom evenemang som Trivia Nights. Det är också hem för ett litet museum på andra våningen, som innehåller alla typer av historiska artiklar och föremål. För 300 -årsjubileet för byggnadens byggande 2019 skapades en ny utställning som kronikerade dess historia för att lyfta fram de väsentliga händelserna som ägde rum här.
54 Pearl St, +1 (212) -425-1778, FrauncestavernMuseum.org. Öppet måndag-fredag 12.00–17.00 och lördag-söndag 11–17
3. Bowling Green
Denna offentliga park är den äldsta i NYC. Under kolonitiden installerade briterna en 4000 pund förgylld ledningsstaty av King George III på hästryggen. Det vandaliserades kontinuerligt fram till kriget, vilket tvingade briterna att bygga ett staket runt parken (den som fortfarande står idag) och skapar lagar mot vandalism.
Efter att självständighetsförklaringen lästes 1776 kastades och demonterades statyn. Huvudet, påstås, skickades till England. Kroppen, så berättelsen, smälte ner i kulor för den kontinentala armén.
Idag förblir området en park och det finns en plack på staketet med en kort historisk översikt.
4. Trinity Church
Den ursprungliga Trinity Church byggdes 1698 och var en liten församlingskyrka som byggdes av Church of England. När briterna grep New York efter George Washingtons reträtt, användes den som en brittisk verksamhetsbas.
Den ursprungliga kyrkan förstördes i den stora elden 1776, en massiv eld som utplånades upp till 25% av staden (amerikanerna skyllde briterna för att starta branden, medan briterna skyllde revolutionärerna). Den nya byggnaden, inför Wall Street, invigdes 1790. George Washington och Alexander Hamilton dyrkade regelbundet här. Kyrkan utvidgades 1839 till sin nuvarande form.
Graveyard går tillbaka till 1700 -talet och har massor av populära amerikaner där, inklusive Hamilton och 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. Inträde är gratis. 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. Inträde är gratis. 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.)
Guidade turer
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.
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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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