I Know a Place Where Dreams Are Born

There is a complex maze of hills and gardens that sits at the end of my street in upper Manhattan.  It's where I do all of my outside thinking.  If you have never been, take a few hours this spring to lose yourself to the beauty of Fort Tryon Park.  You won’t be sorry.

As you may have noticed, I'm a total nerd for history.  So, I did a little excavating online to see how this magical kingdom came to be.  Here's what I learned:

In 1776, the park was used as an ancillary site in the American Revolutionary War.  It was at this site that the first woman fought for the independence of our country, as it was later recognized by the government.  Margaret Corbin, wife of John Corbin, became a “camp follower” when she accompanied her husband during his entirety of his enlistment.  Mind you, this practice was not uncommon at the time.  John was responsible for loading and firing the cannons that sat atop a ridge in what was then called Fort Washington- the Fort Tryon of today.  Margaret became what was known as a “Molly Pitcher”, and was made responsible for fetching water to cool the mechanics of the overheated artillery.  On November 16, 1776, Fort Washington came under the attack of 8,000 Hessian troops (German fighters commissioned by Great Britain).  John was one of 59 Americans killed in the assault however, when he fell, an unlikely candidate resumed his place at the cannon.  After witnessing her husband's death, Margaret fought until she was wounded by enemy fire in the arm, chest and jaw.  In my book, that makes her a total bad-ass.  There are a few monuments dedicated in her honor throughout the United States.  In Fort Tryon, the circular entrance at the top of the park by the 190th A train is named in her honor.

Take that, expectations!

Over the next 141 years, several large estates were erected on the former battle ground, including this behemoth belonging to C.K.G Billings. 

Billings Estate

The Overlook at the Billings Estate

Sadly, the estate was lost in an fire way back in 1920, but this overlook still remains and can be seen from the West Side Highway.

 In 1917, Uncle Pennybags himself, Mr. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., purchased the 66.6 acres of land at a sum of $35,000 per acre.

Rockefeller then commissioned Frederic Law Olmsted, Jr., son of the designer of Central Park, to transform the rocky terrain into a flowing landscape that included eight miles of pedestrian paths while maintaining the breathtaking views the land had of the Hudson and the Palisades.  The project was completed in 1931 when Rockefeller donated the land to the city as a gift with an official opening in 1935.

Then

Now

 After acquiring the medieval art collection of sculptor George Grey Barnard, Rockefeller combined it with his own and then purchased five monastaries in Europe.  The monasteries were disassembled and combined, brick-by-brick, in his new playground uptown.  The Cloisters Museum, a faction of the Metropilitan Museum of Art, was the final result.  It opened in 1938 and still offers some of the most glorious achievements of architecture to be found in New York City.  It’s truly not to be missed.  Of particular interest is the authentic medieval herb garden and the world-famous unicorn tapestries.  There are guided tours every weekend, so check their website before you go if you think you may want to learn a little more.

This weekend I had an awful lot on my mind.  My brain was practically melting out of my ears, so I went for a familiar walk.  I climbed the hill to the impeccable gardens to sit and write and be with my by myself for a few hours (not a typo- watch more SNL).  Do be forewarned that if you enter the park by its base on Broadway like I do, it is a staggering uphill climb to the gardens, overlook and museum.  If you aren't up for a physical challenge, enter through the Margaret Corbin Circle.

It really is the perfect place to lost yourself in though.  Something slightly mystical happens when you’re there.  The paths seem to pick up from under you and rearrange themselves to take you a new place you never thought could exist.  As soon as your feet put you back on track, you end up lost all over again- sometimes in thought, sometimes in mere wonderment. 

I can't say enough about the gardens in the spring (and partially into the summer).  Here are a few pics I have snapped in the last few years I have spent as an admirer of local volunteers that keep the garden in tip-top shape.  Honestly, screw the Botanical Gardens; this is totally free and just as enjoyable. 

Seriously, all you need to do is take the A Train uptown to the 190th stop and take the elevator up.  This place is completely mesmerizing and has to be seen to be believed.  Let me know if you are headed up, because I'd be happy to show you around. 

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On a side note: I promise that I’ll get back to writing more thoughtful posts that don't resemble term papers in the next few days.  It just so happens that, at the moment, I am doing my best to suppress my emotions and would prefer to not write about anything meaningful.  Hope you find this stuff as interesting as I do and, if not, thanks for bearing with me.