The Battery

Look to your left, and welcome to The Battery. The park gets its name from the heavy artillery batteries built right here in the late sixteen hundreds to protect the early waterfront settlement.

Just look at this place! It is an absolute biodiverse haven filled with massive perennial gardens, shady trees, and sweeping harbor views. But its survival was never guaranteed.

In the mid-twentieth century, this historic ground was nearly erased by Robert Moses. Moses was a tremendously powerful and controversial figure whose sweeping infrastructure plans drastically altered New York's parks and neighborhoods, often bulldozing right through them. Moses actually hated the beloved New York Aquarium that used to sit right here in the park. He famously called it an ugly wart on the main axis leading to the Statue of Liberty! He wanted to completely level the historic stone fort that housed the aquarium. It took an epic public battle by a dedicated coalition of civic leaders to stall his wrecking balls.

Even though the historic fort was saved, the park itself was ripped apart. In 1940, The Battery was totally closed off for twelve years just to construct a massive vehicular tunnel underneath the grass. When the area finally reopened, it slowly deteriorated. By the nineteen nineties, it was a neglected wasteland. Think cracked asphalt, graffiti-covered signs, and dirt where plush lawns should be. People only came here to stand in pothole-filled lines waiting for a ferry.

It is wild to think about that bleak era, especially when you look at the towering, reborn Lower Manhattan skyline right behind us. Take a peek at the comparison image in your app to see how the buildings framing this park have dramatically shifted over the decades.

The park's ultimate rescue began in 1994, thanks to a visionary named Warrie Price. Picking up the mantle of those earlier preservationists who fought Moses, she looked at the dilapidated pavement and saw a vibrant waterfront waiting to be unearthed. She spearheaded a campaign that raised over one hundred and seventy million dollars, transforming the neglected lots into the breathtaking oasis you are standing next to right now.

One of the most magical additions from this revitalization is the SeaGlass Carousel. Glance at the photo on your screen to see the stunning bioluminescent, or glowing, fish you can ride inside. It feels like floating through an underwater garden, a beautiful modern nod to that old aquarium.

This incredible public park is totally free and open daily from six AM to one AM, so you can always find a moment of peace here. Now, let's head over to the very structure that sparked that first massive preservation battle. It is just a quick three-minute walk down the path. Follow the walkway toward that thick, circular stone wall up ahead, Castle Clinton.