Skrevet: 9/24/20 | 24. september 2020

Som en historienerd elsker jeg å ta et dypt dykk inn i en destinasjons fortid. Jeg er en fast tro på at hvis du ikke forstår hvor folk har kommet fra, vil du aldri forstå hvor de er nå. Det er en stor grunn til at jeg elsker museer så mye.

Som en av de eldste byene i landet har New York City mye historie.

Først avgjort av nederlendere som “New Amsterdam”, overga den nederlandske byen til engelskmennene i 1664. Byen var et stort handelssenter som ligger ved munningen av Hudson River. Etter revolusjonen var New York knutepunktet for USAs makt og regjering, og ble offisielt landets hovedstad i 1789 da George Washington ble sverget inn. Mens det ikke lenger er landets hovedstad (den flyttet til Philadelphia året etter og deretter til Washington, DC I 1800) var NYC fremdeles det bankende hjertet i landet.

Siden jeg elsker å legge til “temaer” til mine reiser, er et flott tema for ditt besøk i New York kolonialhistorie – og mye av byens koloniale historie er fremdeles til stede i dag.

De fleste av severdighetene ligger i finansdistriktet (en av de mest undervurderte delene av NYC), så det er enkelt å besøke alt på en dag. Her er hva du skal se:

1. Batteriet (aka Battery Park)

Denne parken ligger på den sørlige ideen om Manhattan, og er der den nederlandske bygde Fort Amsterdam i 1625 for å forsvare bosetningen. Britene overtok området i 1664 og omdøpte det til slutt Fort George. Fortets kanonbatteri ble ikke brukt før i 1776 da amerikanske styrker overtok det etter å ha erklært uavhengighet. Mens fortet for det meste ble ødelagt under revolusjonen, ble batteriet utvidet etter krigens slutt.

I dag er det over 20 monumenter og plakk i parken, som dekker alt fra revolusjonskrigen og krigen i 1812 til innvandring og mye mer. Du kan vandre rundt i fortet og deretter rusle gjennom den omkringliggende parken og ta inn den vakre utsikten over havnen i havnen, Liberty Statue og Ellis Island.

2. Fraunces Tavern

Dette er den eldste baren i New York City, etter å ha blitt konvertert fra et hjem (bygget i 1719) til en taverna i 1762. Før revolusjonen ville Sons of Liberty (en hemmelig anti-britisk organisasjon grunnlagt av Samuel Adams) møte Her for å gå over planene og filosofiene.

Under krigen ble bygningen skadet da Alexander Hamilton stjal britisk artilleri, og provoserte en handling fra den britiske marinen enn sendt en kanonball gjennom taket. Etter krigen sa George Washington farvel med sine offiserer og tropper fra den kontinentale hæren her.

Da krigen var slutt, ble møter mellom britene og amerikanerne holdt her for å gå over slaveri. USA insisterte på at ingen slaver frigjort av britene kunne forlate oss jord (mange hadde allerede blitt sendt til frihet i det som nå er Canada). (Det var ikke et av våre fineste øyeblikk som land.)

I dag, i første etasje, er det en ganske respektabel restaurant (litt overpriset) og en bar med et stort utvalg av trekkøl. Tavernaen er også vertskap for historiske samtaler, så vel som arrangementer som trivia -netter. Det er også hjem til et lite museum i andre etasje, som inkluderer alle slags historiske artikler og gjenstander. For 300 -årsjubileet for bygningens bygging i 2019, ble en ny utstilling som kroniserer historien opprettet for å fremheve de essensielle hendelsene som fant sted her.

54 Pearl St, +1 (212) -425-1778, Frauncestavernmuseum.org. Åpent mandag-fredag ​​klokka 12 til 17 og lørdag-søndag fra 11 til 17.

3. Bowling Green

Denne offentlige parken er den eldste i NYC. I løpet av kolonitiden installerte britene en forgylt blystatue på 4000 pund av kong George III på hesteryggen. Det ble kontinuerlig vandalisert frem til krigen, og tvang britene til å bygge et gjerde rundt parken (den som fremdeles står i dag) og skape anti-vandalisme-lover.

Etter at uavhengighetserklæringen ble lest i 1776, ble statuen veltet og demontert. Hodet, angivelig, ble sendt til England. Kroppen, så historien går, ble smeltet ned i kuler for den kontinentale hæren.

I dag forblir området en park, og det er en plakett på gjerdet med en kort historisk oversikt.

4. Trinity Church

Den opprinnelige Trinity Church ble bygget i 1698, og var en liten sognekirke konstruert av Church of England. Da britene beslagla New York etter George Washingtons retrett, ble den brukt som en britisk base av operasjoner.

Den opprinnelige kirken ble ødelagt i den store brannen i 1776, en massiv brann som utslettet oppover 25% av byen (amerikanerne beskyldte britene for å starte brannen, mens britene beskyldte revolusjonærene). Den nye bygningen, mot Wall Street, ble innviet i 1790. George Washington og Alexander Hamilton tilbad regelmessig her. Kirken ble utvidet i 1839 til sin nåværende form.

Graveplassen stammer fra 1700 -tallet og har mange populære amerikanere der, inkludert Hamilton og 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. Admission is free. 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. Admission is free. 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.)

Omvisning

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.

***
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.

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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