National Register of Historic Places

Bowling Green Fence and Park

New York, New York County, New York
Listed
April 8, 1980
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
80002673

About this property

Bowling Green is a small historic public park in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City, at the southern end of Broadway. Built in the 18th century next to the site of the original Dutch fort of New Amsterdam, it served as a public gathering place and under the British was designated as a park in 1733. It is the oldest public park in New York City and is surrounded by its original 18th-century cast iron fence. The park included an actual bowling green and a monumental equestrian statue of King George III prior to the American Revolutionary War. Pulled down in 1776, the 4000-pound statue is said to have been melted for ammunition to fight the British. Bowling Green is adjacent to another historic park, the Battery, located to the southwest. It is surrounded by several buildings, including the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House (with the NYC office of the National Archives), the International Mercantile Marine Company Building, Bowling Green Offices Building, Cunard Building, 26 Broadway, and 2 Broadway. The Charging Bull sculpture is located on the northern end of the park. The park is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places under the name Bowling Green Fence and Park. It is also a contributing property to the Wall Street Historic District, an NRHP district created in 2007.

Location

New York, New York County, New York
40.70505, -74.01365

Categories

EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTSOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

International Mercantile Marine Company Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
U.S. Customhouse
Industrial
0.1 mi
American Bank Note Company Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Battery Park Control House
Civil War
0.1 mi
Building at 21 West Street
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Raid on the New York Battery
1775Revolutionary War
0.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Bowling Green Fence and Park listed on the National Register?

Bowling Green Fence and Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 8, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Bowling Green Fence and Park?

Bowling Green Fence and Park is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Bowling Green Fence and Park?

The period of significance for Bowling Green Fence and Park is recorded as the listed era.

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