Castle Clinton National Monument, New York, NY (3)
**Castle Clinton National Monument** - National Register of Historic Places Ref # 66000537, date listed 19661015
South Ferry
New York, NY (New York County)
Castle Clinton has undergone numerous physical changes since its original construction, all relating to its diverse uses: as a military installation (1808-23), entertainment and reception center (1823-54), immigration depot (1855-90), aquarium (1896-1941), and National Monument and National Park Service site (1946-present).
Castle Clinton National Monument is both a link with the colonial past and the symbol of the growing new American nation; its unique story represents and illuminates important aspects of American military history, urban history, and immigration history.
For nearly 200 years after the first European settlement, the southern tip of Manhattan Island, long known as the Battery, was an important if not the principal defense point for New York City. Castle Clinton was originally known as "West Battery", the last in a series of forts on the site which, starting with the 1626 Dutch settlement, guarded Manhattan Island from attack by sea. As such, the site is one of the last surviving links with the early history of New York.
West Battery was built between 1808 and 1811 to strengthen New York's sea defenses, as elations with Great Britain became increasingly strained. The fort thus became an important part of the New York City defense system during the war of 1812. After the war, West Battery was renamed Castle Clinton in honor of New York's wartime mayor, DeWitt Clinton. Castle Clinton served as Third District Military Headquarters through 1821 and then as a quartermaster depot until 1823. (1)
References (1) NRHP Nomination Form npgallery.nps.gov/pdfhost/docs/NRHP/Text/66000537.pdf
Castle Clinton National Monument, New York, NY (3)
**Castle Clinton National Monument** - National Register of Historic Places Ref # 66000537, date listed 19661015
South Ferry
New York, NY (New York County)
Castle Clinton has undergone numerous physical changes since its original construction, all relating to its diverse uses: as a military installation (1808-23), entertainment and reception center (1823-54), immigration depot (1855-90), aquarium (1896-1941), and National Monument and National Park Service site (1946-present).
Castle Clinton National Monument is both a link with the colonial past and the symbol of the growing new American nation; its unique story represents and illuminates important aspects of American military history, urban history, and immigration history.
For nearly 200 years after the first European settlement, the southern tip of Manhattan Island, long known as the Battery, was an important if not the principal defense point for New York City. Castle Clinton was originally known as "West Battery", the last in a series of forts on the site which, starting with the 1626 Dutch settlement, guarded Manhattan Island from attack by sea. As such, the site is one of the last surviving links with the early history of New York.
West Battery was built between 1808 and 1811 to strengthen New York's sea defenses, as elations with Great Britain became increasingly strained. The fort thus became an important part of the New York City defense system during the war of 1812. After the war, West Battery was renamed Castle Clinton in honor of New York's wartime mayor, DeWitt Clinton. Castle Clinton served as Third District Military Headquarters through 1821 and then as a quartermaster depot until 1823. (1)
References (1) NRHP Nomination Form npgallery.nps.gov/pdfhost/docs/NRHP/Text/66000537.pdf