New York City is flashy, trendy, and crowded, but it also has some significant and interesting history. The earliest history is concentrated primarily around the Battery Park area, which is the gateway to the city from Ellis Island and also the site of the city’s earliest fort, Castle Clinton.
Castle Clinton was built in 1811 as a fortification against the British during the War of 1812. After it was no longer in use militarily, it was given to the city as a garden and arts center in 1823. In 1855, the rise of immigration caused Castle Clinton, perfectly placed at the edge of the bay, to become a depot and immigrant processing center. Eight million new Americans left Castle Clinton and embarked on new lives in this great nation. In 1890, the processing center was moved and the building became the New York City Aquarium. In 1946, the castle was returned to its original design, and in the 70’s, it became Castle Clinton National Monument.
Besides the monument, Battery Park has a lot of other statues and memorials to see. My family’s favorite was “Cool Globes,” the collection of large painted globes, each painted by a different team of artists to reflect their idea of a solution to the world’s environmental problems. One idea was for everyone to put on layers and avoid blasting heating and wasting energy. The globe was covered by a giant knitted globe sweater. I liked the one with every nation’s flag painted over the shape of the country. Look– they even remembered Burundi!
There are a lot of great places to eat in New York City, but a few are worth highlighting. One of these is Pier A Harbor House, which is located at Battery Park. We stopped in here on our way to the Ellis Island ferry. It was classically American and very delicious.
I love me some international food, and New York certainly offers the best of the best from round the world. Sometimes, though, it’s nice to get some mainstream-type American chow. Especially if you haven’t been home to the States in a few months. Pier A Harbor house had all the really good New England stuff, like seafood in a sandwich and the best clam chowder I think I’ve ever had.
The ambiance was also really nice. It had a distinctive nautical design, with naval code flags and ship decorations hung tastefully on the walls. As you can see from the above photo, my parents were very happy to be there!
If you find yourself in New York City, be sure to head over to Battery Park. You won’t find any neon or Prada, but you’ll find something that draws deep from the roots of American history. American or not, you’ll discover something that belongs to you: a welcome to all nations from the city that was built by hands from around the world.
