The Battery

The Daily Plant : Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Significant Archaeological Remnants Discovered In Battery Park

photo by Daniel Avila

On Thursday, December 8, Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe joined Landmarks Preservation Chairman Robert Tierney, Battery Conservancy President Warrie Price, and President of MTA Capital Construction Mysore Nagaraja to announce an exciting archaeological discovery in Battery Park. The discovery, a mortared stone wall in the northeastern section of the park, is believed to be part of a battery that protected Manhattan as far back as the 17^th century.

During archaeological monitoring as part of construction on the new South Ferry Station under Battery Park, the wall was uncovered, measuring more than 40 feet in length and 7 feet in width. Archaeologists believe it is a segment of the City’s fortifications of the late 17^th or early 18^th centuries.

"We believe this wall to be an important remnant of the history of New York City and one of its oldest public parks," said Commissioner Benepe. "We will do everything in our power to preserve it for future generations. The protection and preservation of our City’s historical heritage is one of City government’s most important missions."

The date assessment is based upon artifacts found on top of and adjacent to the wall, though a definitive analysis is still pending. The most exciting artifact found was a 1744 George II half penny in very good condition; other finds include ceramics and pipe stems.

"This wall most likely is a portion of the gun batteries that once protected the City in the late 17^th and 18^th centuries and gave rise to the modern park name," said Chairman Tierney. "The City and the MTA are working together to save this important find."

"The Battery is the birthplace of New York, and with this excavation we have further evidence of Manhattan’s original shoreline and its structural heritage," explained Warrie Price.

"The MTA will be working with City Parks & Recreation, the State Historic Preservation Office, and the City Landmarks Preservation Commission to determine the best way to recover this important find for historic preservation purposes," said Nagaraja.

Between 1625 and 1780, a series of forts were built in the vicinity of the present-day Battery, located at Battery Place and State and Whitehall Streets. While the discovered wall could potentially be part of one of the forts, it is more likely part of a gun battery associated with one of the forts.

The wall was found during MTA construction of a new subway station, funded by the Federal Transportation Authority. Because this project fell within a historically significant area, archaeologists considered it likely that archaeological resources would be found, although no one guessed that such a large portion of the Battery could have survived.

"There are some days when I think I’m going to die from an overdose of satisfaction."

Salvador Dali
(1904-1989)

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The Battery