Rain is forecast for Saturday with a lovely day predicted for Sunday. As part of our Great Neighborhoods of NYC program we will be exploring the Southwest corner of Park Slope where it meets Gowanus. We are visiting the site of the largest battle of the Revolutionary War. (You'll notice how they've cleaned up the place since the battle)
On August 27, 1776 at 9:00 am, George Washington arrived from Manhattan fearing a British breakthrough of the American lines. Washington ordered more troops to Brooklyn from Manhattan. At 11 AM, 2,000 British marines hit the colonial center while Hessians troops attacked on the left.
The only escape route was across a Brouwer Millpond on the Gowanus Creek which was 80 yards wide. There, the Colonial soldiers faced the British, who were in fixed positions in and in front of the Old Stone House. Two Hundred and fifty six colonial soldiers were killed in the assault. Less than a dozen made it back to the American lines.
Washington, watching from a lookout on nearby Cobble Hill, at the intersection of what today would be Court Street and Atlantic Avenue, was reported to have said, "Good God, what brave fellows I must this day lose!". The 256 dead colonial soldiers were buried by the British in a mass grave on a hillock believed to be around the southwest corner of what is today 3rd Ave. between 7th and 8th Streets.
And if that’s not a good enough story - how about this? The Old Stone House was also the clubhouse of the Brooklyn Superbas, who later became the Brooklyn Dodgers before they moved to Ebbets Field.
Where: The Old Stone House, 336 Third Street (between 4th & 5th Avenues), in Brooklyn. (see map below)
When: SUNDAY, October 8th, Starting at 10 AM, until 3 PM
How:
By Subway: Take the F, R or the G to Fourth Avenue and 9th Street, see map below. (FYI The G train stops at the Smith–Ninth Streets station, which is the highest elevated station in the world.)
By Car: There is no alternate side of the street parking, however Park Slope is a notoriously difficult neighborhood to find a spot.
Lunch: At 12:30 PM we'll find a place in the park where we can eat together. Purchase from vendors, nearby stores or BYOL
Show and Tell: We'll meet at 3:00 PM at a comfortable spot in the park - probably our lunch spot. This is the time when we socialize, share the artwork we’ve done and probably talk about art supplies.
NOTE:
- Bring a stool - it gives you more options.
- Artist and Craftsman Supply is a major NYC art store that is worth checking out. It's around the corner from the Stone House (see map)
