New York By Rail 13th ed. | Page 27

PHOTOS: (GATEWAY) NPS PHOTO; (AFRICAN BURIAL GROUND) COURTESY OF AFRICAN BURIAL GROUND NATIONAL MONUMENT; (GENERAL GRANT) COURTESY OF GENERAL GRANT NATIONAL MEMORIAL; (HAMILTON GRANGE) COURTESY OF HAMILTON GRANGE NATIONAL MEMORIAL Gateway National Recreation Area Gateway is a vast, 27,000-acre park made up of several sites in NY and NJ. Within the boroughs, you can visit Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Fort Tilden, and Riis Park in Queens; Floyd Bennett Field and Canarsie Pier in Brooklyn; and Great Kills Park, Miller Field and Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island. Gateway National Recreation Area National Parks…in New York City? Yes, the National Parks Service manages more than 10 properties within Manhattan and the outer boroughs. In recognition of the 100th anniversary of the National Parks Service, let’s take a look at these can’t-miss sites. To plan your visit, go to: nps.gov/state/ny The African Burial Ground National Monument Governor’s Island National Monument Rediscovered in 1991, this 6.6-acre burial ground in lower Manhattan is the final resting place of both free and enslaved Africans buried here from the 1690s until 1794. An outpost for the U.S. Army from 1794-1966, Governors Island is now a seasonal venue of art, culture and performance. Castle Clinton National Monument Hamilton Grange National Memorial Built in 1812 to prevent a British invasion, this fortification now welcomes visitors to the southern tip of Manhattan. The African Burial Ground National Monument Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty A gift of friendship from France, and a universal symbol of freedom and democracy, the Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886. From 1892-1954, 12 million immigrants passed through the halls of Ellis Island in search of a better life in America. Federal Hall National Memorial George Washington took the oath of office as the first U.S. President at this site on Wall Street, now a Customs House. General Grant National Memorial The largest mausoleum in North America, this is the final resting place of President Ulysses Simpson Grant and his wife, Julia. Amtrak.com General Grant National Memorial Hamilton Grange National Memorial Revolutionary War hero, controversial Founding Father, and George Washington's right-hand man, Alexander Hamilton built his country home on his Harlem estate, now Saint Nicholas Park. Lower East Side Tenement Museum This historic tenement, with its cramped living spaces, was home to an estimated 7,000 people from over 20 nations from 1863-1935. Tours describe the immigrant experience. Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President, was the only U.S. president born in New York City. He was raised in this townhouse at 28 East 20th Street. New York By Rail | 25