National Parks of New York Harbor

https://www.nps.gov/npnh/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Parks_of_New_York_Harbor National Parks of New York Harbor is the name of an office of the National Park Service that coordinates administration of eleven NPS sites that include 23 unique destinations located in the New York metropolitan area. The office covers properties ranging from the Statue of Liberty National Monument in New York Harbor to Gateway National Recreation Area in several locations and Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site in Mount Vernon, New York. These 12 sites preserve more than 400 years of American history! We invite you to explore the past and investigate its relevance in our lives today. From the birth of American democracy to the evolution of commerce, harbor defense, ecology and immigration, the breadth of themes commemorated through the National Parks of New York Harbor reflect the richness and diversity of our heritage. For specific directions to each of the twelve national parks in New York Harbor please check their webpages. To get to our offices at Federal Hall National Memorial: The main entrance of Federal Hall is located at 26 Wall Street, near the corner of Wall Street and Nassau Street. The rear entrance, which is wheelchair accessible, is located at 15 Pine Street, near the intersection of Pine Street and Nassau Street. It is highly recommended that all visitors use mass transit when traveling to Federal Hall. Manhattan skyline as seen from Governors Island National Monument Manhattan skyline as seen from Governors Island National Monument National Parks of New York Harbor includes eleven national parks, including seven within Manhattan alone. General Grant National Memorial at dusk in midwinter General Grant National Memorial at dusk in midwinter The largest mausoleum in North America pays tribute to Civil War general and U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant, who is entombed here with his wife Julia. Battery Weed, Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island Battery Weed, Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island Gateway National Recreation Area covers two states and three New York City boroughs. Several of its sites are former military bases, such as Fort Wadsworth. Statue of Liberty looking ahead Statue of Liberty looking ahead Statue of Liberty National Monument also includes Ellis Island Immigration Museum. African Burial Ground National Monument African Burial Ground National Monument The African Burial Ground was a vast cemetery for enslaved and free Africans, forgotten since the 1790s, it was rediscovered in 1991. Shirley Chisholm State Park Opens in NYC Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the opening of the state's newest and largest public park in New York City, the 407-acre Shirley Chisholm State Park along the shores of Jamaica Bay. The new park honors Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, an educator, former representative of the 12th Congressional district in New York for seven terms and the first African American woman to run for president. The park is a signature project of Governor Cuomo's Vital Brooklyn Initiative. Mural showing Shirley Chisholm with flowers and a butterfly Defending America’s Coasts The outbreak of World War I in 1914 required commissioned vessels, or cutters, of the Coast Guard to enforce US neutrality. Upon the declaration of war on Germany, Coast Guard vessels and sailors were transferred to the control of the Navy. The Coast Guard, created in 1915 and its predecessor, the Revenue Cutter Service, established in 1790, had long been responsible for governing the movement of vessels in American waters, as well as where vessels could anchor Historic image of the USS San Diego in 1916, a naval ship. Caffe Cino: Birthplace of Off-Off Broadway During its ten years, the coffeehouse changed the language of drama as a pioneer of “Off-Off Broadway,” where truly underground content could be explored. The business certainly did not make a lot of money. Cino worked other jobs to make ends meet and to pay off public officials, since he did not have a license as a theatre. Many plays contained gay content, but Caffe Cino’s embrace of bohemian and hippie life defied any single sexual identity or category. Plaque at Caffe Cino showing Joe behind the counter. NPS Photo by John Warren Gay Activist Alliance Firehouse: A "School for Democracy" Within weeks of the Stonewall Rebellion, activists formed the Gay Liberation Front (GLF). However, GLF members quickly divided over strategy. Some wanted to form alliances with other radical groups like the Black Panthers. Others wanted to focus exclusively on gay issues. The latter formed a group of their own, the Gay Activist Alliance, described as a "school for democracy." They set up shop in a former firehouse in Manhattan. National Park Service Establishes Internship Program at St. John’s University The National Park Service (NPS) and St. John’s University (SJU) announce the formation of a new partnership. Under a recently signed agreement, the History Department of St. John’s University will assist NPS with recruiting and training volunteers and interns for research and interpretive programs in metropolitan New York City. The initial phase of the five-year program focuses on Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration and the Trails and Rails Program. Nine adults look at the camera Washington Square: New York City Haven for Bohemians and Activists Washington Square has been known for decades as a place for bohemians, jazz and folk musicians, protesters, poets and people in love. It is also where the first gay and lesbian protest occurred in New York City after the Stonewall Uprising of 1969. Photo of Washington Square, New York by John Warren, NPS Photo The Lion's Head: "Drinkers with Writing Problems" Two doors down from the Stonewall Inn was one of the better-known bars and restaurants in New York City literary history. The walls of the Lion’s Head were covered with jacket covers of books by the writers who drank there—“drinkers with writing problems,” as its customers liked to say. For a writer, getting a space on the wall was like winning the Nobel Prize. It was also where one patron joined the rebellion two doors down at the Stonewall. Sign for Sheridan Park on a fence around a city garden The "Sip-In" at Julius' Bar in 1966 Unlike the Stonewall Inn, Julius’ Bar--just around the block from the Stonewall in Greenwich Village--had a liquor license. In fact, Julius' has been open at 159 West 10th Street and Waverly Place since the 1860s, although not always as a gay or gay-friendly bar. In fact, drinking while gay in the early 1960s was considered illegal. A three-story yellow building on a corner of the street Christopher Park: In 1969, a Refuge for LGBTQ Street Youth During the first night of the rebellion at least, a small city park across the street from the Stonewall Inn provided refuge for street youths. Christopher Park was their refuge during the day as well from a hard life on the streets. The entrance to Christopher Park, now part of Stonewall National Monument September 11, 2001, NPS Oral History Project This oral history project recorded the memories and perspectives of NPS staff who experienced the events of 9/11 and their aftermath. Transcripts and a 2004 report about the NPS response are available online. A petinad hand holds a flame aloft in the air. Alexander Hamilton An overview of the life and accomplishments of Alexander Hamilton. Alexander Hamilton painted portrait. Diane Harris Dayson Diane Harris was initially reluctant to pursue a Park Service career. However, she soon found that national parks were "in her blood". Her 26-year career saw her rise from clerk to superintendent at one of our most iconic national monuments. Diane Dayson wearing the NPS uniform with badge and ranger flat hat. My Park Story - Dorcas Meyers A biography of Dorcas Meyers Secretary to the Executive Director of the National Parks of New York Harbor. Headshot of a black woman smiling at the camera while holding her head in her hands Valerie Fernandes Valerie Fernandes joined the National Park Service (NPS) in hopes of leaving behind paperwork and “doing something different every day.” She went on to break down barriers for women in the NPS, serving as the one of the first woman horse-mounted officers and becoming the first woman US Park Police lieutenant and captain. Valerie Fernandes in Park Police uniform and cowboy hat. Trails&Rails 2023 National Conference Current NPS Director Chuck Sams addresses attendees at the 2023 National Trails&Rails Operations Conference. A large group of people sit facing forward at tables arranged in a U shap My Park Story: Dr. Laura Barraclough Meet Dr. Laura Barraclough, a volunteer through Volunteers-In-Parks with the Trails & Rails program who brings her own unique perspective to volunteering with the National Park Service. Headshot of Dr. Laura Barraclough. Staff Spotlight: Elizabeth LaRochelle Meet Elizabeth Larochelle, a Volunteer Program Coordinator with the National Parks of New York Harbor! Woman holding up a cutout Mather High School Visits Western Parks Students from the Stephen T. Mather High School in NYC spent 3 weeks during the summer camping and working on historic preservation projects at Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks. A student holds a drill while working on a log building Historic Horse and Footbridge Restored by Student Interns and NPS Staff Stephen T. Mather Building Arts & Craftsmanship High School graduates, National Park Service employees, Mather High School Success Via Apprenticeship (SVA) members, and Student Conservation Association (SCA) interns, with their group leader, completed a horse and footbridge restoration project at Morristown National Historic Park. A young man using a hammer Graduates From Mather High School Build A Legacy Mather High School in partnership with the National Parks of New York Harbor open a stone carving classroom on Governor's Island. A handpainted sign that says "WE CARVE STONE HERE" 50 Nifty Finds #41: What in the Blazers? The green pants and jacket, gray shirt, badge, and broad-brimmed flat hat are the widely recognized symbols of the National Park Service (NPS) ranger. For a brief period in the 1970s, an attempt was made to supplement—if not supplant—the public’s image of the park ranger. Was the NPS blazer uniform just a fashion fad or something more? Tan and Green jackets dispayed on mannequins 2023 NPNH Summer Youth Activities Learn more about the 2023 summer youth activities with the National Parks of New York Harbor. a student drills a hole into a log Lifeguard Recruitment - National Park Service Join the National Park Service and apply to be a lifeguard today! boats on the water Top Tips for Visiting the Manhattan Sites Plan Like a Park Ranger: Top Tips for Visiting the Manhattan Sites