Um guia para explorar a cidade colonial de Nova York

postada: 24/09/20 | 24 de setembro de 2020

Como nerd de história, adoro mergulhar profundamente no passado de um destino. Acredito firmemente que, se você não entende de onde as pessoas vieram, nunca entenderá onde estão agora. É uma grande razão pela qual eu amo tanto os museus.

Como uma das cidades mais antigas do país, a cidade de Nova York tem muita história.

Estabeleceu pela primeira vez pelos holandeses como “New Amsterdã”, os holandeses que a cidade se rendeu aos ingleses em 1664. A cidade era um importante centro comercial localizado na foz do rio Hudson. Após a revolução, Nova York era o centro do poder e do governo da América, tornando -se oficialmente a capital do país em 1789, quando George Washington entrou empossado. Embora não seja mais a capital do país (mudou -se para a Filadélfia no ano seguinte e depois para Washington, DC em 1800), Nova York ainda era o coração espancador do país.

Como adoro adicionar “temas” às minhas viagens, um ótimo tema para sua visita a Nova York é a história colonial – e grande parte da história colonial da cidade ainda está presente hoje.

A maioria dos pontos turísticos está localizada no Distrito Financeiro (uma das partes mais subestimadas de Nova York), por isso é fácil visitar tudo em um dia. Aqui está o que ver:

1. A bateria (também conhecida como parque de bateria)

Localizado na idéia do sul de Manhattan, este parque é onde os holandeses construíram Fort Amsterdã em 1625 para defender seu acordo. Os britânicos assumiram a área em 1664 e, eventualmente, a renomearam Fort George. A bateria de canhão do forte não foi usada até 1776, quando as forças americanas assumiram o controle depois de declarar a independência. Enquanto o forte foi destruído principalmente durante a revolução, a bateria foi expandida após o fim da guerra.

Hoje, existem mais de 20 monumentos e placas no parque, cobrindo tudo, desde a Guerra Revolucionária e a Guerra de 1812 até a imigração e muito mais. Você pode passear pelo forte e depois passear pelo parque circundante e apreciar as belas vistas à beira -mar do porto, a Estátua da Liberdade e a ilha de Ellis.

2. Fraunces Tavern

Este é o bar mais antigo da cidade de Nova York, tendo sido convertido de uma casa (construída em 1719) em uma taberna em 1762. Antes da Revolução, os Filhos da Liberdade (uma organização anti-britânica secreta fundada por Samuel Adams) se encontraria Aqui para analisar seus planos e filosofias.

Durante a guerra, o prédio foi danificado quando Alexander Hamilton roubou a artilharia britânica, provocando uma ação da Marinha Britânica do que enviou uma bola de canhão pelo telhado. Após a guerra, George Washington se despediu de seus oficiais e tropas do Exército Continental aqui.

Quando a guerra estava terminando, as reuniões entre os britânicos e os americanos foram realizados aqui para repassar a escravidão. Os EUA insistiram que nenhum escravo libertado pelos britânicos pudesse nos deixar de solo (muitos já haviam sido enviados à liberdade no que hoje é o Canadá). (Não foi um dos nossos melhores momentos como país.)

Hoje, no primeiro andar, há um restaurante bastante respeitável (embora um pouco caro) e um bar com uma grande seleção de cervejas de draft. A Tavern também hospeda negociações históricas, além de eventos como as noites de curiosidades. Também abriga um pequeno museu no segundo andar, que inclui todos os tipos de papéis e objetos históricos. Para o 300º aniversário da construção do edifício em 2019, uma nova exposição que narra sua história foi criada para destacar os eventos essenciais que ocorreram aqui.

54 Pearl St, +1 (212) -425-1778, Frauncestavernmuseum.org. Aberto de segunda a sexta-feira, 12:00 às 17:00 e sábado a domingo das 11h às 17h.

3. Bowling Green

Este parque público é o mais antigo de Nova York. Durante os tempos coloniais, os britânicos instalaram uma estátua líder dourada de 4.000 libras do rei George III a cavalo. Foi continuamente vandalizado, levando à guerra, forçando os britânicos a construir uma cerca ao redor do parque (aquela que ainda hoje está hoje) e criar leis anti-vandalismo.

Depois que a declaração de independência foi lida em 1776, a estátua foi derrubada e desmembrada. A cabeça, supostamente, foi enviada para a Inglaterra. O corpo, então a história diz, foi derretida em balas para o exército continental.

Hoje, a área continua sendo um parque e há uma placa em cima do muro com uma breve visão histórica.

4. Igreja da Trindade

Construído em 1698, a Igreja original da Trinity era uma pequena igreja paroquial construída pela Igreja da Inglaterra. Quando os britânicos tomaram Nova York após o retiro de George Washington, ele foi usado como uma base de operações britânicas.

A igreja original foi destruída no grande incêndio de 1776, um enorme incêndio que eliminou mais de 25% da cidade (os americanos culparam os britânicos por iniciarem o incêndio, enquanto os britânicos culpavam os revolucionários). O novo prédio, de frente para Wall Street, foi consagrado em 1790. George Washington e Alexander Hamilton adoravam regularmente aqui. A igreja foi expandida em 1839 em sua forma atual.

O cemitério remonta aos anos 1700 e tem muitos americanos populares lá, incluindo Hamilton e sua esposae Elizabeth, Francis Lewis (signatory on the declaration of Independence), John Alsop (Continental Congress delegate), Albert Gallatin (founder of NYU), Horatio Gates (Continental army general), John Morin Scott (general and first secretary of state of new York), and Lord Stirling (Continental army general).

75 Broadway, +1 212-602-0800, trinitywallstreet.org. excursions of the cemetery are available on request. There is also a self-guided excursion app you can download from the website.

5. federal Hall national Memorial

This national memorial has served as new York’s city hall and the united states custom-made House, as well as the site of the first Congress of the united states and George Washington’s presidential inauguration. It was also where the Continental Congress of 1765 met to go over the stamp Act, a tax imposed by the British crown.

The current structure, built in 1812, has a small museum that sheds light on the origins of America. part of the balcony and railing where Washington was inaugurated are still on display as well. It’s one of my favorite spots in new York — and one way too often overlooked by visitors!

26 wall St, +1 (212) 825-6990, nps.gov/feha/index.htm. open daily 9am–5pm. Admission is free. complimentary guided excursions are available several times per day (check the web site for hours).

6. St. Paul’s Chapel

Just up the street from Trinity Church (and officially part of its parish) is the oldest surviving church in Manhattan. built in 1766, the Hearts of Oak (a student militia from Kings College) used the church’s grounds for drill practice during the Revolutionary War. Alexander Hamilton was an officer in the unit. After George Washington became the first president of the us in 1789, he attended services here, making the chapel his home church.

Today, it’s a national historic Site, having survived the great fire of 1776, the Revolutionary War, and 9/11. The chapel is a basic hall decorated in pale colors. Glass chandeliers hang from the flat ceiling. It’s not particularly ornate, having a a lot more modern and minimalist design (they use moveable chairs instead of seats to allow for a lot more flexibility in what events can be held here).

209 Broadway, +1 212-602-0800, trinitywallstreet.org/about/stpaulschapel. excursions are used every Sunday at 11:15am after service. Admission is free. dress respectfully, as this is a place of worship.

7. City Hall Park

This park is where new Yorkers held rallies both before and during the Revolutionary War, including a rally against the stamp Act in 1765. When the Act was repealed the following year, a new flagpole was built here — known as the liberty pole — which waved a flag that said “Liberty.” people also gathered here to hear Washington read the declaration of independence in 1776; the spot is marked by a plaque from 1892 (another marks the location of the liberty Pole).

During the war, the British converted it into a prison to hold American prisoners of war, where over 250 Americans were executed. In 1783, when the war was won, Washington raised an American flag over the park.

Nowadays, it’s a pretty park with a fountain and benches to kick back on. You’ll see a lot of people here during lunch. (Well, at least you did pre-COVID.)

8. African Burial Ground national Monument

During the war of Independence, around 25% of the population of new York City was enslaved Africans or people of African descent. Over 40% of the population owned slaves, and the success and development of the city relied heavily on the work of enslaved men and women.

Once known as the “Negroes Burial Ground,” this is the largest colonial-era cemetery for both complimentary and enslaved Black Americans. Studies estimate that upwards of 15,000 people were buried here in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The site is a us national Monument as well as a national historic Landmark. A monument and a visitor’s center were built in 2007 to make sure that this crucial piece of history is not forgotten. inside the visitor’s center are several exhibitions, films, and dioramas highlighting the life of slaves in the city. visitors can learn how slaves were brought over by the Dutch, what their funerals were like, how they survived the extreme conditions in the city, and what archeologists learned when they exhumed the bodies from the area before building the monument.

290 Broadway, +1 (212) 238-4367, nps.gov/afbg/index.htm. open Tuesday-Saturday 10am–4pm. complimentary excursions are available from the visitor’s center. check the web site for dates and times.

9. Van Cortlandt house Museum

This is the oldest building in the Bronx and one of the oldest surviving buildings in the entire country. built in 1748 by African slaves, the property was used during the Revolutionary war by the Comte de Rochambeau, the Marquis de Lafayette, and George Washington (who had his headquarters here during the final years of the war).

It’s one of the oldest historic museum houses in the country (the fourth oldest to be precise), and much of the furniture and items on display are from the colonial era. Today, you can excursion the house to see what life was like during the war.

6036 Broadway, Van Cortlandt Park, +1 (718) 543-3344, vchm.org. open Tuesday-Friday 10am–4pm and weekends 11am–4pm. Admission is $5 USD.

Bonus Sites!

On Staten Island, you’ll find The conference House, where Ben Franklin led a peace delegation in 1776 (it failed). The house has been refurbished and does events throughout the year. It’s open now by private booking.

On the corner of Pearl and Broad, you’ll find the brick outline of Stadt Huys, the first city hall as well some glass portals that look down to remnants of the colonial city that were found in the 1970s.

You’ll also find bricks that show you where the old shoreline used to be during colonial days. (Everything from broad down is landfill created to expand the city as it became a bigger and bigger shipping hub.)

Visitas guiadas

While it’s really easy to walk around and see these sites for yourself, a walking excursion can supply a lot a lot more historical context (you know I love a good walking tour!). here are some paid and self-guided options:

George Washington’s new York – download the app “GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities” for this complimentary self-guided tour. It’s a great companion to the above itinerary.

New York historical excursions – NY historical excursions runs a private two-hour “Alexander Hamilton and the Founding Fathers” excursion on the birth of America and the men who made it possible. At $249 USD, this is best split among a group.

Revolutionary excursions – This three-hour “Washington and Hamilton” excursion is a deep dive into colonial history. It’s informative and entertaining and will give you a much deeper appreciation for these two giants of history. It’s $35 USD per person. (Currently not running any excursions due to COVID.)

Patriot excursions – Patriot excursions uses both a Hamilton excursion as well as one on the Revolutionary war as a whole. They’re led by author and historian Karen Q and cost $40 USD per person. Karen also runs virtual excursions in case you want to travel from the comfort and safety of home during the pandemic.

***
New York City has a lot of history you shouldn’t miss. Whether you’re trying to find a complete historical excursion or just want to add some historical sights into your existing new York City itinerary, these suggestions will supply a look beyond the standard vacationer trail. considering that a lot of all these sites are close together (Van Cortlandt house is in the Bronx), you can visit them in a day.

P.S. – There’s also a number of parks around nyc that used to be the locations for forts (and the forts that are there date from the 1800s) but there’s nothing really there now to see so I’ve left them off this list.

Get the thorough budget guide to new York City!

For a lot more thorough ideas on NYC, check out my 100+ page guidebook written for budget travelers like you! It cuts out the fluff found in other guides and gets straight to the functional information you need to travel in the city that never sleeps. You’ll find suggested itineraries, budgets, ways to save money, on- and off-the-beaten-path things to see and do, non-touristy restaurants, markets, bars, safety tips, and much more! Click here to learn a lot more and get your copy today.

Book Your trip to new York City: Logistical ideas and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner ou Momondo para encontrar um voo barato. They are my two favorite search engines because they search web sites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned. start with Skyscanner first though because they have the greatest reach!

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the greatest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the least expensive rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. My fa