Fort Greene Park

Click map for directions

Click image for larger view

• Description: plaque on stone wall
• Materials: bronze
• Dimensions: 2'L x 1'W
• Inscription: FORT GREENE PARK / ON THESE HEIGHTS, FORMED BY AN ICE AGE / GLACIER, UNITS FROM THE CONTINENTIAL ARMY / UNDER GENERAL NATHANAEL GREENE BUILT / FORT PUTNAM TO DEFENCE THE CITY AGAINST / BRITISH ATTACK IN 1776. ENLARGED DURING / THE WAR OF 1812 TO REPEL A SECOND / ATTACK - WHICH NEVER CAME - THE EMPLACE- / MENT WAS THEN RENAMED FORT GREENE TO / HONOR THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR GENERAL. / IN 1848, AFTER YEARS OF CAMPAIGNING BY / BROOKLYN EAGLE EDITOR WALT WHITMAN, / THESE GROUNDS WERE DESIGNATED A PUBLIC / PARK, NAMED WASHINGTON PARK AFTER / GEORGE WASHINGTON. WITHIN A GENERATION / THE LANDSCAPE WAS REWORKED BY THE / ACCLAIMED DESIGNERS OF CENTRAL AND / PROSPECT PARKS, FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED / AND CALVERT VAUX. THEIR PLAN INCLUDED / A PROPER RESTING PLACE FOR THE REMAINS / OF THE 11,500 WHO DIED DURING THE REVO- / LUTION ABOARD BRITISH PRISON SHIPS / ANCHORED IN NEARBY WALLABOUT BAY, / LATER THE SITE OF THE BROOKLYN NAVY YARD. / IT WAS NOT UNTIL 1908, HOWEVER, AND LARGELY THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF THE SOCIETY / OF OLD BROOKLYNITES, THAT THE PRISON / SHIP MARTYRS' MONUMENT, DESIGNED BY / ARCHITECTS MCKIM, MEAD & WHITE, WAS / COMPLETED. BY THEN THE NAME MOST / PEOPLE HAD CONTINUED TO USE IN REFERRING / TO THE PARK HAD BEEN OFFICIALLY RESTORED; / FORT GREENE.