Blogging the soul of the world's greatest city. Feel free to comment!
Just off the southern tip of Manhattan lies an island that, until recently, few New Yorkers knew about and almost none had ever visited: Governor's Island. I went there yesterday and, if I had to tell you only one thing about it, it's that it's beautiful and incredible (okay, so that's two things. Forgive me).
Some history: from 1624 until 1674 it was a landing place for Dutch settlers and was used as a military base and farm. When the British took over in 1674, it became the home for British royal governors of New York State -- hence the island's name (although it was not officially given this moniker until 1784). During the Revolutionary War (1776-1783), it was occupied at various times by both the Continental and British armies and used alternatively either to attack or protect New York Harbor. From 1783 until 1966, it was used as an Army Base. Then, from 1966 to 1996, the US Coast Guard used it as a base.
Between 1996 and 2003, it was abandoned but controlled by the US Government. In early 2003, authority was transferred to New York State and since then people have been able to go to it. But only in the last few years have people started to visit Governor's Island in droves -- and discovered just how amazing it is.
Governor's Island is really a city within a city. In many ways, it resembles a town like Annapolis or something you might see on the Massachusetts' coast. It has huge buildings in the Federal style, mostly used in the past as administration buildings, but it also has a post office, library, hospital, 700-seat movie theater, two chapels, two forts -- Fort Williams on the northern end and Fort Jay in the center of the island -- and lots of beautiful houses, some of them almost mansion like. There's a also a building that is being turned into a school that will open in 2010. You can really tell that this place was once not only a military base but also a real community. Best of all, there's lots of open spaces, including a parade ground and large green spaces between most of the buildings and houses.
And the views! Governor's Island has some of the most gorgeous, sweepings vistas of Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn, New Jersey, and the harbor you'll ever see. On a beautiful, clear and sunny day like yesterday, you see so much, including lots of freighters and the Staten Island Ferry which grumbles by (you can also look down at the northern tip of Staten Island and realize how far away that borough really is from the rest of the city). Also, there are streets and sidewalks (the most gorgeous is Colonel's Row) that make getting around the island very easy.
Governor's Island also has lots of trees, beautiful shrubbery, and flower beds. There's something very Zen-like, serene and calming, about walking around this place. Lots of people bring bicycles (I think you can also rent some but I didn't check) and they ride around the island, the breeze and beautiful views whisking by their smiling faces.
You go to Governor's Island and just ... relax. It's almost like a Central Park in the water.
There's no way that my two hour trip and short descriptions of what I saw can ever do this place justice. I strongly, strongly encourage you to read more about it and VISIT IT ASAP!
Open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10 AM to 5 PM (until October), you can get the ferry at State Street, right off Whitehall, next door to the Staten Island Ferry stop. The ferry ride is free and super short -- about 5 to 10 minutes.
MR NYC says GO NOW!!
P.S. A few interesting factoids about GI: 1) when the Coast Guard occupied the island, there used to be a Burger King there (but no longer); 2) Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia once wanted to turn the island into an airport! Thankfully this never happened and another airport (named after our first Italian, pint-sized mayor) was built in northern Queens; 3) in December, 1988, outgoing President Reagan, President-elect Bush, and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev had a summit there; 4) finally, their father a member of the US military, Governor's Island is where both Smothers brothers were born; 5) laws have been passed/rule implemented, that will prevent GI from ever having casinos or crass commercial development on it -- but the island's future uses and vision is being hotly debated by all.
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Please keep it civil, intelligent, and expletive-free. Otherwise, opine away.