Help save the military museum at Fort Hamilton

As we reported here last week, the Army Center of Military History (CMH)  has announced that the New York Harbor Defense Museum on Fort Hamilton is on a closure list. Even though the museum is on a military reservation, it has always been open to the public. It is a valuable asset well worth saving.

Not only does the museum trace the history of shoreline defenses, its exhibits focus on memorabilia from the American Revolution through the Vietnam War. This facility also chronicles the 200 years of Fort Hamilton’s existence, in addition to reminding us of the Battle of Brooklyn (a/k/a Battle of Long Island), which was launched by the British combatants landing near Fort Hamilton.

It’s bad enough there are no museums in the Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bath Beach and Gravesend communities. Why should we allow a distant Army CMH unit to take away this cherished museum that has flourished for years as a source of enlightenment, education and  sometimes even entertainment? Thousands of grammar school children have toured the museum and sat in one of the adjoining classrooms to hear on-site the proud heritage of this country. 

And with the coming of the 250th anniversary of America and the arrival of the Tall Ships, plus Fleet Week and an international naval review all commencing on July 4 in the waters near this historic museum, it’s beyond credibility that an Army facility like CMH that’s supposed to be centered on history would even consider pulling the plug on this treasured, relevant institution. 

We are urging the elected officials who cover Fort Hamilton to pull together to try to save the museum. This includes City Councilmen Justin Brannan and David Carr, U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny, State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (who chairs  the New York State Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Military Affairs), Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who lives on the base, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Mayor Eric Adams. How about for starters, the City Council passes a resolution stressing the importance of this free museum to the city?

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Last Tuesday night’s summer concert in Shore Road Park featured the well-known Bay Ridge-based vocal group known as the Rhapsody Players, headed and founded by John Heffernan. In addition to various venues in Brooklyn, they frequently perform in the school auditorium at St. Patrick’s Catholic Academy. The free summer concerts are presented by the NIA community service organization with funding by Councilman Justin Brannan and State Sen. Andrew Gounardes.