In recent years, Governors Island, located in the
heart of New York Harbor, has become a
popular destination for recreational activities
and unique arts programming in New York
City. Plans for a new 40 acre park and
a 2.2 mile Great Promenade around the Island
will only further enhance the appeal of
one of the city's great public spaces.
The Island and its long and important role in the history
of New York City is the subject of a fascinating new book,
Governors Island: the Jewel
of New York Harbor (Syracuse
University Press, July 2009, $60.00) by noted historian
Ann
L. Buttenwieser. Ms. Buttenwieser chronicles
the development of this 172-acre anomaly, from
its beginnings as a military outpost to its current
role as an unspoiled recreational and cultural
getaway. An accomplished urban planner
and visionary, Ms. Buttenwieser’s
vast knowledge of waterfront land development provides
an expert look into this unique island’s
forgotten story.
Ms. Buttenwieser has spent her
entire career as an advocate for the recreational
use of waterfronts. She is best known as the visionary
of the Floating Pool Lady, in addition to her work
with many of the city’s agencies with waterfront
portfolios. Recently, Ms. Buttenwieser was
honored at the New
Yorkers for Parks Annual Gala for her extraordinary
commitment to help beautify, create and protect
New York City’s parks and open spaces.
Governors Island: the Jewel of New
York Harbor offers a comprehensive look at one
of the most historically significant, yet often
overlooked landmarks in New York City. With an
impressive collection of never-before-seen maps,
photographs, and anecdotes dating from the early
18th Century to the present day, Ms. Buttenwieser
reinvigorates the memory of one of the city’s
lost treasures. Governors Island is a revealing
look into a pivotal military fortress, prison,
hospital and more. What started as a small fort
to house British troops in the 1700s quickly transformed
into a key U.S. army and Coast Guard base for over
two hundred years. Ms. Buttenwieser skillfully
retraces the story of an island that played a key
role in nearly every major war in America’s
history. Rare photographs and original blueprints
transport the reader directly to metaphorical battlefields.
Governors Island also uncovers the island’s
role as an eastern Alcatraz and prototype military
hospital. Unbeknownst to many New Yorkers, the
island held Prisoners-of-War and some notable Army
criminals. Doctors at the hospital treated deadly
epidemics and helped in the births of illustrious
personages. The book chronicles how the prison
mirrored the greater American incarceration system,
and the hospital incorporated changes in medical
design and treatment.
Ms. Buttenwieser injects
quirky anecdotes and facts highlighting how Governors
Island is a microcosm of America at large. Each
chapter is full of interesting stories of Americana,
as the island played host to the take-off of Wilbur
Wright on the world’s first flight over water;
the embarkation of the first seafaring military
women; and the opening of a Burger King that served
beer.
Ms. Buttenwieser weaves a story for historians,
military enthusiasts, and anyone interested in
learning more about New York’s rich history. Governors Island: The Jewel
of New York Harbor by
Ann L. Buttenwieser is an essential resource.
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