Governors Island National Monument ⓘ

The end of the Revolution marked the beginning of a new nation, and a new banner under which Governors Island would serve. With international politics threatening domestic security and overseas trade, the United States developed a defensive strategy to protect its coastal borders and its most prolific ports. Despite initial fears of a large central government and standing army, federal funds were provided to build fortifications around important harbors. Known as the federal system of coastal defense, these systems of forts were staffed by quick responding local militia. The coastal initiative marked one of the first decisions made by the young government to unite behind a plan to protect the interests of her new nation. In New York, federal funds were supplemented by state contributions and later, by the city’s residents who volunteered to help construct the new forts.

Fort Jay and Castle Williams on Governors Island were two of the largest coastal fortifications in the Harbor. In 1794, Fort Jay was erected atop the remains of the earthworks used during the Revolution, and was refurbished in 1808. By 1811, Colonel Jonathan Williams designed a prototypical circular fortification which became known as Castle Williams. Williams, the first American born military engineer, planned the elaborate system of forts that were strategically placed throughout the harbor. With the outbreak of the War of 1812, these installations, along with others in the harbor, proved to be powerful deterrents to the British Navy who blockaded the harbor instead of entering it. New York’s coastal defenses underscored the importance that a unified system of fortifications could ensure the safety and livelihood of a community and ultimately, a nation.

Although the island’s fortifications became defensively obsolete by the 1830s, Governors Island remained in military service, while other harbor island installations were converted to non-military uses. The island became an administrative and training center for a peacetime U.S. Army and it served as a mustering point for personnel during the Mexican and Civil Wars. It also served as a federal arsenal, and an army music school. It was during the Civil War that Castle Williams’ use changed from a coastal fortification to a prison first for Confederate prisoners of war, and later as a military stockade for the U.S. Army. By 1878, Governors Island evolved from a small military outpost to the army headquarters for the Military Division of the Atlantic and Department of the East, responsible for coordinating army activities for the eastern United States. Once Governors Island became a headquarters, officers were able to bring their families to live on the island. The National Historic Landmark District is dotted with community structures which include a movie theatre, YMCA, Officer’s Club, public school and three religious chapels, a quiet neighborhood not far from the hustle and bustle of New York City life.

As New York City gained international importance, so did the prestige of a posting on Governors Island. For senior officers, it was recognition of accomplishment and a test of leadership that often led to more senior commands and responsibilities at the highest levels of the army. Additionally, soldiers stationed here enjoyed social, political and commercial connections in the city rivaled by few other army posts. Newspapers of the day heralded the arrival of a new headquarters commander and the society pages would report on sporting and aviation events and occasionally announce the wedding of a captain or a major to a bride well known to New York society.

The army headquarters became nationally recognized as it played a greater role in international affairs through two World Wars. By World War II, the island was the headquarters of the U.S. First Army. Originally established in Europe in 1919, First Army initiated early planning efforts for the D-Day invasion in 1944 and led the American landing in Normandy, which resulted in the liberation of Europe.

In November 1964, the army announced that it would close its remaining New York posts and left Governors Island on June 30, 1966. Known as Changeover Day, this date marked the end of one military presence and the beginning of another. Governors Island “re-enlisted” with the U.S. Coast Guard becoming the largest Coast Guard base in the world and headquarters for its Atlantic Area command. The Coast Guardsmen and their families enjoyed the same sense of community and military prestige as their predecessors, a blend of small town life at the heart of one of America’s largest cities.

After 30 additional years of service, the Coast Guard announced that they too would leave Governors Island ending the island’s two-century military career. The closure was a quiet admission that island fortresses and urban military garrisons, although critical in the past, were no longer of primary importance in defending against the nation’s modern threats. As one of the last New York bastions of coastal defensive history drew to a close in 1996, Governors Island has again been called to serve. The island has returned to a civilian use, and will be developed as a public venue for exploration and discovery. Today, trees and an array of old brick buildings soften the profile of Governors Island. Fort Jay and Castle Williams along with the military community that evolved around them provided the safety and security from 1794 to 1996 which allowed New York City to develop and evolve into this nation’s center of commerce and finance. Governors Island chronicles the history of groups of people united behind their commitment to the national community they called home.

Fort Jay is located on Governors Island in New York Harbor, one half-mile from the southern tip of Manhattan. No defensive works are known to have been erected on the island during its early history. Defensive earthen works were first erected on the highest point of Governors Island by Continental troops in 1775-76. The island and its fort were occupied by the British during the American Revolution until 1783, when it was surrendered, along with several buildings, to the Governor of New York. More than 10 years passed before renewed tensions with Great Britain resulted in funding from both the New York Legislature and the United States Congress in 1794 to reconstruct the works on Governors Island. This was part of a larger national effort to fortify ports that later became known as the First American System of coastal fortifications.

Design of the New York Harbor defenses was assigned to French engineer Charles Vincent. The works on Governors Island had been completed by 1796, described in January of that year by the Secretary of War as "a fort made of earth, and two batteries under its protection, partly lined with brick masonry, two air furnaces, a large powder magazine, and a barrack for the garrison." Fears of a French invasion in 1797 resulted in a second- phase effort funded by additional appropriations to complete and enhance the coastal fortifications, including those on Governors Island. The fort is said to have acquired the name "Fort Jay" in 1798 for John Jay, then Governor of New York State. Governors Island and its fort were conveyed to the federal government two years later, in 1800, by an Act of the New York State Legislature. A plan of the fort as it existed that year shows it as a four- bastioned form surrounded by a ditch with a parapet having 51 embrasures, a gate and bridge on the east side, and a large magazine in the northeast bastion. The fort was still incomplete and incapable of defense in 1802, according to a written report, although it was then equipped with a "handsome Gateway with a Corps de Garde ," or guardhouse, that survives today.

Fort Jay had fallen into ruinous condition by 1806 when a second national campaign to strengthen the coastal defenses of the country, now known as the Second American System of fortifications, was implemented. This effort differed from the first by employing American engineers and using more durable masonry construction. The engineer chosen to design and oversee the defenses of New York Harbor was Colonel Jonathan Williams, Chief Engineer of the Corps of Engineers and first Superintendent of the Military Academy at West Point. Reconstruction of Fort Jay, renamed Fort Columbus about this time, began in July 1806 and was completed by December 1809. The only components of the old fort judged worth saving were "the walled Counterscarp, the Gate, the Magazine, and the Barracks," according to Colonel Williams in a report dated November 1808. The completed fort was described in a later report to Congress as "an enclosed pentagonal work, with four bastions of masonry, calculated for one hundred guns, fifty- five mounted, with brick barracks for two hundred and thirty men, including officers. [And] a stone and brick magazine…." Also constructed at this time was Castle Williams , a circular defensive work made of red sandstone that was erected on the west point of the island between 1807 and 1811. The earliest known plan of the completed fort is a plan by Joseph Mangin drawn in 1813.

The first significant repairs and alterations were made to Fort Columbus in the 1830s, resulting in the overall appearance of the fort as it exists today. The stone retaining walls were extensively rebuilt at this time, including the scarp that was faced with granite and topped with a new brickwork parapet. The old magazine in the northeast bastion was demolished and replaced by four new magazines erected in the north ravelin. Finally, the four existing brick barracks were replaced by four new barracks with flanking triangular structures and outdoor courtyards. Later changes have been made to the barracks by the U.S. Army over the years, including interior remodeling and replacement of the flat roofs with hipped roofs in 1855- 57, incorporation of five of the triangular buildings as additions in the 1860s and 1898- 99, and reconfiguration of the buildings as officers' apartments in 1921- 22 and again in the 1930s. Paint was stripped from the exterior brick buildings in the 1930s, the sodded glacis of the fort was converted to recreational use as a golf course by 1940, and the flagstaff was moved from the northwest bastion to the north ravelin by 1953.

Jurisdiction of Governors Island passed from the U.S. Army to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1966. Improvements made by the Coast Guard to Fort Jay, whose name was officially reinstated in 1904, included expansion of the golf course; remodeling of the barracks with new kitchens, bathrooms, heating and electrical systems, and storm windows and doors; and erection of chain- link fencing on the glacis. Fort Jay has sat vacant with minimal upkeep since closure of the Coast Guard base in 1997.

Fort Jay was recorded by the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1934 and in 1982- 83. The fort was individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It was included in a National Historic Landmark District designated in 1985, and a New York Historic District designated in 1996. The fort is also located within the boundaries of Governors Island National Monument, created by Presidential Proclamations signed in 2001 and 2003. The period of significance for Fort Jay spans the years 1794- 1966, as defined by the National Register of Historic Places.

Its usefulness as a fort began to end in the 1830s, so Castle Williams subsequently served as barracks for the island's garrison and new and transient troops. Thereafter, the castle was remodeled by the US Army for use as a prison in various forms during the Civil War and through the first half of the 20th century.

In 1901, Secretary of War Elihu Root, who worked hard to modernize the Army, also made a commitment to preserve the castle and overruled army leaders who wanted to demolish both it and Fort Jay. By 1903, the castle was fitted up as a model, state-of-the-art prison facility. In 1947, extensive renovations were carried out with the wooden catwalks replaced by concrete enclosed walk ways, hiding the beautiful stone arches on the third level and resulting in the industrial appearance of the courtyard today. Castle Williams ceased operations as a military prison in 1965 just before the U.S. Army left Governors Island.

The castle again faced a demolition challenge as Coast Guard officials in Washington, DC, who took control of Governors Island in 1966, wanted to demolish it. Instead, the castle was remodeled as a youth community center with a nursery, meeting rooms for Scouts and clubs, a woodworking shop, art studios, a photography laboratory, and a museum. By the late 1970s the community center moved to another location and the fort became the grounds-keeping shop for the Coast Guard base.

Over time, the roof failed and broken windows allowed serious water damage to occur inside the castle. In the mid-1990s, the roof was replaced and new windows stopped further water damage to the structure. The National Park Service stabilized and restored the castle and, when possible, provides access to the roof, allowing the public to admire the harbor and the modern skyline of the great city this fortress once protected.

Castle Williams was individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places on July 31, 1972. It was recorded by the Historical American Buildings Survey with photographs and a written report in 1983. The castle is also a contributing resource in the National Historic Landmark District (designated February 4, 1985) and the New York City Landmarks Historic District (designated June 18, 1996) for Governors Island.

The castle is also located within the boundaries of Governors Island National Monument, created by Presidential Proclamations signed in 2001 and 2003 . The period of significance for Castle Williams spans the years 1794-1966, as defined by the National Register of Historic Places.

Governors Island lies a few hundred yards off the southern tip of Manhattan, at the confluence of the Hudson and East Rivers in New York Harbor. The island's fortifications - Fort Jay and Castle Williams - served as an early outpost to protect New York City from enemy naval attack and were an integral part of a larger coastal defense network.

Fort Jay and Castle Williams were erected between 1796 and 1811 as part of the First and Second American Systems of Fortification. They are among the finest examples of defensive structures in use from the Renaissance to the American Civil War and sit within a larger National Historic Landmark District, surrounded by unparalleled views of the harbor and New York City skyline.

Governors Island was a military post and later a major command headquarters United States Army from 1794 until 1966. For the next 30 years, it was home to Atlantic Area Command, the U.S. Coast Guard's largest and most complex installation in the world.

In 2003, the island was sold and transferred to two parties: 22 acres, designated as the Governors Island National Monument and administered by the National Park Service; and 150 acres is administered by The Trust for Governors Island . Today, city and federal agencies are planning the future of this former military installation into new public parkland and a spectacular destination in New York Harbor.

At this time, Governors Island is open to the public on a seasonal basis. Public services and facilities are very limited. For the most current information, please check this website or call the park directly.

There was a time when Governors Island was called Paggnack by the Lepanae Indians who frequented the island for seasonal harvests up until 1624. Then the island was called Nutten Island by the Dutch who bought the island from the Native American tribes and used it not only for its food source but also as timber. The Dutch colonists Governors Island who came to the New York harbor under the direction of the Dutch West India Company used the trees so much that they left a saw mill on the island.The Dutch also used the island a recreational get away for the Governors of their colonies, hence the name, Governors Island. When the English took over the New York harbor, they continued to use the island for this purpose.

However, Governors Island began to use the island for military purpose in the American Revolution.By the time Ft Jay was reconstructed and Castle Williams and the South Battery were completed in 1811 there was hardly a tree left on the island. But this was not the end for the once forested island. At the main entrance Ft. Jay, trees were planted in the 1850's and the City Beautiful Movement changed the design of urban planning.

The Industrial Revolution changed not only the way goods are produced; it changed where factory workers lived. When the urban population grew in the 19th century, with it grew unsanitary and unsafe conditions in the metropolitan landscape. Cities were looked at as places to live not thrive. In the 1850's, many urban planners and designers saw this problem and proposed different land layouts to remedy city living problems, through The City Beautiful Movement; which was showcase during the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.The idea behind this design was that the city wasn't solely manufacturing works or clusters or cement and wooden boxes for those workers to simply live in. The city could also be an artistic expression, articulated through ornamental architecture, exquisite sculptures, and picturesque landscaping.The cities of the United States of America sat up and took notice, and Governors Island was no exception.Nolan park was given a country living feel while more trees were planting everywhere on the island.

One of the most plentiful trees on the island (and in New York City in general) is the London Plane tree. This tree is recognizable by its pale grey-green bark, which is always smooth and exfoliating, maple-like leaves, and its fuzz seed orb. The Platanus Acerifolia or London Planetree's existence was first recorded in the 17th century. Although plentiful in the US, this tree is an international hybrid. Hailing from Europe, the London Plane tree is the amalgam of the Oriental Planetree and the Sycamore (American Planetree). It is the perfect ornamental landscaping tree because of its adaptability and it is plentiful on Governors Island.But this is not the only transnational vegetation import on the island. Robert Moses had the London Planetree planted in every park in New York City. Governor's Island also it home to other intercontinental imports such as the Japanese Pago tree and Gingko trees.

One of the most remarkable trees on Governors Island is the Ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba). The Ginkgo is a living fossil, its genus is identified from fossils that date back 270 million years but what's more amazing is Today's trees are nearly identical to prehistoric trees. Only a few species of Ginkgos have ever been identified in the fossil record, and only a single species is extant. The Ginkgo is classified not just in its own family, but in a separate division of the Plant Kingdom, it is the only member of the Ginkgophyta division. Thus, it is unclear how Ginkgo is even related to other living plants is uncertain.The Female Ginkgo tree produces pinkish, naked seed that produced a stench when opened. Ginkgos are fertilized by motile sperm.So far on Governors Island, we have only found male Ginkgo trees.

Governors Island is the home of 141 different species of trees, the open season commences May 26 th through the end of September and it's open to the public as a park space on the weekends. Thousands of people from all over the globe get to partake in the National Monuments of the island but they also revel in and lounging on the lush greenery of Governors Island.

Birding Governors Island August 19, 2011 Historic District and the perimeter of south island 10:30-12:00 & 12:33-2:00 75-81 degrees overcast and still to sunny and breezy, humid

The August doldrums have struck Governors Island, at least in terms of birds. I scoured the entire Historic District and the accessible areas of south island and didn't see a whole lot. This isn't surprising for this time of year. Some birds, like common terns, barn swallows and chimney swifts, have already left for their winter grounds, while migration from the north has not started in earnest yet. So numbers were low today. The only exception was at the Added Value Farm at Picnic Point. There 34 (give or take) chickens have been in residence for the summer. There are hens and roosters of several breeds, and they are handsome birds. They spend their time at the composting area of the farm, scratching in the dirt and compost piles for insects, thus helping the composting process. I don't include these birds in my count because they are domestic, but they are certainly a welcome addition to the island.