Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Posted on 12/08/2005 3:09:12 AM PST by Pharmboy
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The top of an old wall was discovered by workers digging a new subway tunnel under Battery Park.
Three weeks after the Metropolitan Transportation Authority started digging a subway tunnel under Battery Park, the project hit a wall. A really old wall. Possibly the oldest wall still standing in Manhattan.
It was a 45-foot-long section of a stone wall that archaeologists believe is a remnant of the original battery that protected the Colonial settlement at the southern tip of the island. Depending on which archaeologist you ask, it was built in the 1760's or as long ago as the late 17th century.
Either way, it would be the oldest piece of a fortification known to exist in Manhattan and the only one to survive the Revolutionary War period, said Joan H. Geismar, president of the Professional Archaeologists of New York City.
"To my knowledge, it's the only remain of its kind in Manhattan," Ms. Geismar said. "It's a surviving Colonial military structure. That's what makes it unique."
Among the items found around the wall are a well-preserved halfpenny coin dated 1744 and shards of smoking pipes and Delft pottery, said Amanda Sutphin, director of archaeology for the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission.
"It's one of the most important archaeological discoveries in several decades in New York City," said Adrian Benepe, commissioner of the city's Department of Parks and Recreation. "Everybody knows that the Bronx is up and the Battery's down. But I don't think anybody anticipated that the Battery was 10 feet down."
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Any graffiti?
Cool.
"Brits Out Now!"
Fascinating.
Screw the Fawgin' wall you fawgin fawg!!!
Your point with that statement is what, exactly? Perhaps you're just perpetually annoyed.
It's ironic for me to read this today. I was just reading about the defense of New York during the Rev War in "The Glorious Cause" by Jeff Shaara.
I highly recommend this book and its prequel "Rise to Rebellion".
Weren't New Yorkers mostly Loyalists? ;-)
As you likely know, very few remnants of colonial and RevWar times remain in NYC. Fraunces Tavern, St Paul's Chapel and the Morris-Jumel Mansion are the only Manhattan sites that I know of that remain. Happily, they were all touched significantly by The General.
But yes--you are right to imply that a good percentage of Loyalists came from NYC. The patriots fled when the brits occupied the city, many of them going to Philadelphia.
The spot where Nathan Hale was said to be executed is now a GAP.
Yes--65th and Third. I leave flowers on the spot each July 4th when I am in town.
Have you been up to Dorchester Heights, from where the Good General chased the British out of Boston?
I didn't know about that list of sites. Thank you.
The Battle of Brooklyn took place on the site of the Independence Savings Bank...
No I haven't as of yet, but something that I am looking forward to. I have walked the Freedom Trail in Boston, climbed the Bunker Hill Monument and walked the bridge during my visit to Lexington and Concord.
Whorealdo!!,,,Calling Whorealdo!!! What's on the other side sir?
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