Ever since 1637, when a Dutch governor bought the island — known as Nut Island — from two Native Americans for two ax heads, a string of beads and … [11], The British started calling Nutten Island "Governor's Island" (with an apostrophe) in 1698 and reserved the island for the exclusive use of colonial governors. Governors Island is home to a 5G testbed that will be used to determine how to launch 5G in other areas and provide connectivity to visitors to the island. [107], In 1920, upon the end of World War I, the Army restructured its internal organization so that Governors Island was now the headquarters of the Second Corps Area. New York Public Library Digital Collection. [321][323], Three organizations work in partnership to maintain the island: the National Parks of New York Harbor Conservancy, the Trust for Governors Island, and Friends of Governors Island. [77] Significant development occurred on the formerly undeveloped northern and eastern sides of the island: the old wood-frame barracks outside Fort Columbus were replaced, and new officers' quarters were built in Nolan Park, east of Fort Columbus. Faden, William. Over the years, Governors Island served as the backdrop for a number of historic events. There are 1,267 male residents living in Governors Island and 1,761 female residents. Governors Island was initially much smaller than it is today. [264][277][279], The southwestern side of Colonel's Row is dominated by Liggett Hall (building 400), a three-to-four-story barracks that spans nearly the entire width of Governors Island, measuring 1,023 feet (312 m) long with two 225-foot-long (69 m) wings extending south. The Native Americans of the Manhattan region, the Lenape, referred to what is now known as Governors Island as Pagganuck (“Nut Island”) after its plentiful hickory, oak, and chestnut trees. The United States Army continuously occupied Governors Island between1794 and 1966, after which it became That same year, GIPEC demolished a derelict Super 8 Motel on the Parade Ground, opening up more green space for the public to enjoy. [123] Governors Island became a U.S. Army recruitment center in 1941,[124] and was processing 1,500 recruits daily by 1942. In April 2010, Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Paterson reached an agreement on the future of Governors Island. [167][168][169] The Coast Guard era also coincided with two landmark designations. The island's fortifications - Fort Jay and Castle Williams - served as an early outpost to protect New York City from enemy naval attack and were an integral part of a larger coastal defense network. Governors Island will reopen to the public spring, 2021. [35][36][37][38], In what appeared to be a strategic miscalculation, the rebels' munitions caused little to no damage to the British ships that were waiting some 2 miles (3.2 km) downstream. [112] During the 1930s, the Works Progress Administration landscaped much of the island and reinforced many existing structures, hiring up to 5,000 workers in the process. [193][194] West 8 ultimately won the contest. View from the top of the scramble on Outlook Hill, looking north over the park on Governors Island. [130], In 1940, work started on the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel, which passes underwater offshore of the island's northeast corner. [209] In 2013, construction started on a new potable water connection (which replaced a locally illegal connection from the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel) as well as repairs to the seawall. [249][250][248] From the 1930s, South Battery was also used as an officers' club. After the British withdrew from the Island, continental troops fortified the Island for fear of advances by the British Royal Navy. Under the Coast Guard, the Island was the home of the Atlantic Area Command, the Maintenance and Logistics Command, and the Captain of the Port of New York. However, one night there is plenty - think we explored the whole island twice within a few hours. [298] Maintenance was performed by the Trinity Church until 1986, when it turned operations over to the Coast Guard under condition that the Trinity Church would resume maintenance duties if and when the Coast Guard left the island. As the Civil War wore on, Fort Jay and Castle Williams were transformed into prisoner-of-war holding facilities for Confederate prisoners. The Governors Island ferry leaves from the terminal directly to the LEFT of the Staten Island Ferry where you can pick up a free detailed map of the island. This space is a popular fishing and kayaking location. [307][135] Pershing Hall (building 125), a three-story brick building north of buildings 107 and 108 on the northern waterfront, served as the headquarters for the First Army when built in 1934. Nolan Park, part of the Historic District. Governors Island is a 172-acre (70 ha) island in Upper New York Bay, approximately 800 yards (732 m) from the southern tip of Manhattan Island and separated from Brooklyn by Buttermilk Channel, approximately 400 yards (366 m).It is legally part of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. Bikes are great way to explore the island’s 7 miles of car-free paths, but rent a … During Liberty Weekend in 1986, President Ronald Reagan traveled to the island for a ceremony to relight the Statue of Liberty upon completion of the statue's restoration. [73][100] An aviation training center even operated from 1916 to 1917. [85] The secluded ambiance of Governors Island was altered somewhat when the first solid waste incinerator in the U.S. was built on Governors Island in 1885. [148][19] At that point, most of the World War II-era buildings on the island's southern tip were still standing. [71][69] Castle Williams held Confederate prisoners of war and Fort Columbus held captured Confederate officers. [361][71] Test runs of steamboat service started in 1844, and they supplanted the former open-barges by 1879. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the 92 acres north of Division Road as a local Historic District. [97][98][71], The newly constructed southern part of Governors Island was initially used as an airstrip. [255] The parade ground slopes downward, away from Fort Jay and toward the waterfront to the south. Buy Governors Island Explorer's Guide: Adventure & History in New York Harbor (Historical Tours) Illustrated by Fitzpatrick, Kevin C. (ISBN: 9781493019663) from Amazon's Book Store. Two of these were replaced in 1956 with larger vessels that could hold 1,100 passengers and 32 cars. [183], In a last-minute act while in office, President Clinton designated a 22-acre (8.9 ha) area, including Fort Jay and Castle Williams, as Governors Island National Monument on January 19, 2001. [1911] Image. [240] This construction, part of the island's Park and Public Space Master Plan, included various measures to make the island more resilient against the effects of climate change, like raising much of the south island out of the 100-year flood plain, and replacing the old sea wall with a layer of rip-rap to better mitigate wave action. ] an aviation training center even operated from 1916 to 1917 2019 [ update ] the ground... Brick waiting room built in 1904-1906 also to the U.S. state of New York Island with part Governors. African-Americans volunteered to join the Allied cause and served admirably 11 ] by,! 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