When the U.S. Army commemorates its 250th anniversary and Fort Hamilton its bicentennial, the early histories of both the Army and Fort Hamilton are entwined in the American Revolutionary War. The cornerstone for Fort Hamilton was laid on June 11, 1825, and the U.S. Army was established on June 14, 1775.
As preparations for both historic events are planned, according to Justin Batt, the executive director and curator of the Harbor Defense Museum, who recently announced that Fort Hamilton, in collaboration with the museum, has unveiled two newly installed interpretive panels on the bluff overlooking the Narrows. One describes the Battle of Brooklyn (also known as the Battle of Long Island); the other shows the British landing at Gravesend Beach.
Batt continues, “The battle was the first major confrontation after the Declaration of Independence, which saw British forces land at Gravesend Beach on August 22, 1776.” The area of Gravesend Beach that was part of the historic amphibious landing site is today part of Fort Hamilton.
If you want to learn more about the Battle of Brooklyn and Fort Hamilton’s connection to this significant role in American history, you can schedule a visit to the Harbor Defense Museum by calling 718-630-4349 or emailing [email protected]. Admission to the museum is free.
Fort Hamilton will be holding a major celebration heralding both military milestones on June 13. With pre-registration, it’s open free to the public starting at 4:30 p.m. You have to register by June 7, 2025. Visit Hamilton.ArmyWMR.com.
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More news about Brooklyn’s 158th Memorial Day Parade on May 26. According to Air Force veteran Raymond Aalbue, chairman of the United Military Veterans of Kings County, there will be six floats and 11 bands participating. Besides being the oldest, continuous Memorial Day parade in the country, it’s now reportedly one of the largest in the Tri-State Area.
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The annual POW/MIA flag-raising ceremony will be held on Monday, May 26, 10 a.m., at Shore Road and 81st Street, Old Glory Lookout. It is sponsored by the Brooklyn Conservative Party with local Boy Scouts participating. Later, members of the Conservative Party will be marching in the Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade.
An interesting sidebar about this site is that the flagpole, along with a large brass plaque near its base, was erected by the citizens and schoolchildren of Bay Ridge and Fort Hamilton in memory of Admiral George Dewey, commemorating his victory in Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War. Additionally, the site is at the western tip of the Long Island Peninsula.
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