Cultural Landscape Report for the Battery Weed Headland: Fort Wadsworth, Gateway National Recreation Area

2008·17.7 MB·English

by  Gleisner, Jean, Auwaerter, John, Curry, George

29.86/4:B 31
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National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
ClemsonUniversi
3 1604 018 921 694
Cultural Landscape Report
for the Battery Weed Headland
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Gateway National Recreation Area (
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FEDERAL
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in 2012 with funding from
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Cultural Landscape Report
for THE
Battery Weed Headland
FortWadsworth
Gateway National RecreationArea
Staten Island, New York
Site History
Existing Conditions
Analysis & Evaluation
Treatment
ByJean B.Gleisner&John Auwaerter
GeorgeW. Curry,ProjectDirector
StateUniversityofNewYork
CollegeofEnvironmental ScienceandForestry
Syracuse,NewYork
£L
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS
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MAR 2 5 2009 CD
Olmsted CenterforLandscapePreservation CO
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National ParkService,Boston,Massachusetts,2008 i
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CulturalLandscapeReportfortheBatteryWeedHeadland
Thisreporthasbeenpreparedthroughthe Olmsted CenterforLandscape
Preservation,whichpromotesthepreservation ofsignificant landscapesthrough
research,planning,stewardship,andeducation.TheCenteraccomplishesits
missionincollaborationwith anetwork ofpartnersincludingnational parks,
universities,governmentagencies,and private nonprofitorganizations.This
reportwasdevelopedthroughacooperativeagreementwiththeDepartmentof
LandscapeArchitectureattheStateUniversity ofNewYork Collegeof
Environmental Scienceand Forestry,Syracuse,NewYork.
Olmsted CenterforLandscapePreservation
BostonNational Historical Park
CharlestownNavyYard,QuartersC
MA
Boston, 02129
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.nps.gov/oclp/
PublicationCredits: Graphics maynotbereproducedwithoutthepermission of
theownersnoted inthe captions. Information fromfederal repositoriesmaybe
copied and usedwiththe condition that full creditbegiventotherepositories,
authorsandpublisher.Appropriate citationsandbibliographic creditsshouldbe
madeforeach use.
CoverImage: PaintingofBatteryWeed lookingeastfrom Fort LaFayetteinthe
Narrows,byartistand Armysoldier,Seth Eastman,c.1872. Collection oftheU. S.
ArmyCenterforMilitaryHistory,reproduced fromPrints&Posters, The
EastmanForts, http://www.history.army.mil/html/artphoto/
pripos/eastmanl.html (accessed February 2008).
TableofContents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
XI
INTRODUCTION
ProjectSetting
ProjectScopeand Methodology
Terminology
Summary ofFindings
I. SITE HISTORY 15
NativeEnvironmentand ColonialSettlement,Pre-1809 15
SecondSystem State Fortification, 1809-1846 29
Third System Federal Fortification, 1847-1885 43
EndicottPeriod and World Wars I & 11, 1886-1945 75
LateMilitary& National Park Service Period, 1946-2008 103
II. EXISTING CONDITIONS 117
Environmental Setting 117
LandscapeContext 118
BatteryWeed Headland 120
Park Operationsand Use 125
III. ANALYSIS & EVALUATION 135
Historical Significance 135
Landscape Evaluation 144
IV. TREATMENT 201
Framework forTreatment 201
GeneralTreatmentRecommendations 207
NarrativeTreatment GuidelinesandTasks 210
REFERENCE LIST 227
APPENDICES 233
AppendixA: Site Chronology 233
Appendix B: MilitaryTerminology 237
Appendix C: Invasive Vine Eradication Method 241
Appendix D: RepositoriesConsulted and Results 243
in
CulturalLandscapeReportfortheBatteryWeedHeadland
IV
211
ListofIllustrations
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
INTRODUCTION
Figures
0.1. Lookingnortheastfrom the top ofthebluffabove Battery
Weed toward Brooklynwith Manhattan,2006. 1
0.2. Location map ofGatewayNational RecreationArea,2004. 1
0.3.Aerial photograph showingBatteryWeed in thecontext of
FortWadsworth,2007. 12
0.4. Diagram oftheBatteryWeed headland projectarea. 1
0.5. Site terminology reference map. 13
SITE HISTORY
I.
Figures
1.1. Glacial geology ofNew York Cityand vicinity,2007. 25
1.2.Amap ofNew Netherland and New England, 1636. 25
1.3. "Map ofExplorations in the Neighborhood ofManhattan
Island." 26
1.4.An engravingdepictingthe Dutch settlement ofNew
Amsterdam (Manhattan Island), c.1650. 26
1.5. Drawingshowingsome ofthe colonial land patentsfrom
1668 to 1712. 27
1.6. StatenIsland detail ofthe map, "LesPrincipales Fortresses Ports
de L'AmeriqueSeptentrionale," 1745. 27
1.7. Paintingofthe Narrows duringarrival ofLord Howe,
July, 1776. 28
1.8. Detail ofaBritish mapshowingthe "Signal House and Fort"
atVan Deventer'sPointon theNarrows, 1781. 28
1.9. An etchingoftheStaten Island landscape,c.1840 37
1.10. Plan ofproposed state fortifications atthe Narrows, 1809. 37
1.11. Mapofcompleted statefortificationsatthe Narrows, 1819. 38
1.12. Drawing lookingnorth fromthebluffabove Fort
Richmond, 1839 38
1.13. Surveyofthe state fortificationsatthe Narrows,c.1819. 39
1.14. Etchinglookingnorth from thebluffabove FortRichmond,
c.1840. 40
1.15. Viewfrom thebluffabove Fort Richmond, c.1850. 57
1.16. Bird's-eye-viewofcountryestatesneartheNarrows, c.1854. 57
1.17.AtlasshowingcountryestatesnearFortWadsworth, 1874. 58
1.18. Map showinglinesoffirefrom BatteryWeed, 1846. 58
1.19. Plan ofthenewFort Richmond (BatteryWeed) overthe
footprint ofthe old, 1846. 59
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CulturalLandscapeReportfortheBatteryWeedHeadland
1.20.An illustrationofthefortunderconstruction,c.1847. 59
1.21 Planshowingfootprintand location ofnewFortTompkins. 60
1.22. Plan ofthecontextofBatteryWeedintheNarrows, 1857. 60
1.23. PlanofthenewFortRichmond (BatteryWeed) overthe
original FortRichmond, 1847. 61
1.24. Plan ofthewood-pilesandgranite-slabsfoundation of
BatteryWeed, 1849. 61
1.25. Planofproposedwall tosustainthefootoftheslope, 1848. 62
1.26. Sections ofthe slopeabovetheforttobegraded, 1848. 63
1.27. Sectionshowingincrementalgradingoftheslope, 1848. 64
1.28. Sectionlookingsouth attheguardhouseand drawbridge,
1860. 65
1.29. Planand sectionofthe seawall cofferdamand moat, 1857. 65
1.30. DrawingofBatteryWeed,north dock,and the inclined
railway,c.1863. 66
1.31. Drawingshowingrowofsupportbuildingsatthebaseof
thebluff, 1855. 66
1.32. Plan and sectionsofthe North CliffBatterywithparados,
c.1863. 67
1.33. Etchingofthepanoramicviewofthe Harborfromthe
topofthebluff, 1852. 68
1.34.Etchinglookingnortheastfromthe crestofthebluff
showingBatteryWeed with itswater-filled moat, 1860. 68
1.35. PaintingbyartistSeth Eastman ofBatteryWeed,c.1872. 69
1.36.Topographicplan ofthe BatteryWeed headland, 1886. 70
1.37. DrawingofBatteryWeed lookingnorth fromthe overlook,
c.1873. 71
1.38. Postcard showingviewlookingnorthatthe intersection
ofMountSecAvenueand BatteryWeed Road, c.1890. 71
1.39.Atlasoftrolleylinesandstreet carneighborhoods adjoining
FortWadsworth, 1907. 87
1.40.Abird's-eyeviewofSouth Beach Resort, 1899. 88
1.41. Photographoftrolleycarnamed "FortWadsworth," c.1907. 88
1.42. Diagram showingexpansion ofFortWadsworth to 1907. 89
1.43.Anaerial photograph ofFortWadsworth reservation, 1923. 89
1.44. Etchingoftheviewfrom theoverlook, 1892. 90
1.45. Drawingshowingrecreationaluse oftheslope and overlook
above BatteryWeed, 1900. 90
1.46.Asurveyoftheengineered slopeshowingwalks, 1892. 91
1.47. Photograph lookingacrossthebarbettetierofBattery
Weedwiththeengineered slope inthebackground, 1890. 91
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ListofIllustrations
1.48. Photograph oftheparadegroundshowingmunitions
storage, 1893. 92
1.49. Photograph showingthe new BatteryCatlin,and the north
dock and Battery Weed,c.1905. 92
1.50. Sketch ofBatteryWeed lookingsouth,c.1905. 93
1.51. Detail ofthe 1886 topographicplan (Figure 1.36) showing
thereservoiratthesouthwestcornerofthemoat. 93
1.52. Plan ofthefirst mine casemate in Battery Weed, 1887. 94
1.53. Section ofthe first mine casemate in BatteryWeed, 1887. 94
1.54. Plan ofthe Mine Railway, 1896. 95
1.55. Plan oftheexistingandproposed cable tank buildings, 1899. 95
1.56. Siteplan ofthe miningdefense complex, 1907. 96
1.57. Photograph ofcable tank buildingsalongthewestwall of
BatteryWeed, 1907. 97
1.58. Photograph ofthe north dock showingrecenttimber
extension and mine defense buildings, 1907. 97
1.59. Plan ofthe 1910and 1921 mine railwayalignments. 98
1.60. Abird's-eyephotograph ofthe BatteryWeed headland, 1924. 99
1.61.Aerial photographoftheBatteryWeed headland, 1940. 100
1.62. Photograph lookingacrossBatteryWeed showingthe
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, 1964. 109
1.63. Plan ofFortWadsworth showingbuildingstobe demolished
fortheVerrazano-Narrows Bridge, 1959. 109
1.64. Map ofFortWadsworth indicatingbuildingsconstructed
after 1945. 109
1.65. Photograph ofthe overgrown paradegroundsand
barbettetier, 1964. HO
1.66. Aerial photograph ofBatteryWeed, 1961. Ill
1.67. Photograph ofthebarbettetierofBatteryWeed, 1970. Ill
1.68.Aerial photograph ofBatteryWeed, 1980. 112
1.69.Aerial photograph ofBatteryWeed, 1990. 113
1.70. Bird's-eyephotograph ofBatteryWeed, 1994. 113
Drawings
1. SecondSystem Period Plan, 1809-1846. 41
2.Third System Period Plan, 1847-1886. 73
3. Endicott& World Wars I-II Period Plan, 1887-1945. 101
4. LateMilitary& NPSPeriod Plan, 1945-2008. 115
VII
CulturalLandscapeReportfortheBatteryWeedHeadland
EXISTING CONDITIONS
II.
Figures
2.1.Aerial photograph ofthe regional settingoftheBatteryWeed
headland, c.2007. 127
2.2. PhotographofanolderareaofFortWadsworthalongMount
SecAvenue,2007. 127
2.3.Photograph ofnewerdevelopmentin FortWadsworth,2007. 128
2.4.Diagram oflandscapecharacterareasintheBatteryWeed
headland. 128
2.5.Panoramicviewfromthe overlook,2007. 129
2.6.The overlookterrace,2007. 129
2.7.Thefortressgroundslookingeasttoward thenorth dock,
2007. 130
2.8.Thefortressground lookingnorth from BatteryBacon,2007. 130
2.9.Thefilled moatandseawall lookingsoutheast,2007. 131
2.10.Thenorth dock and seawall lookingnorth,2007. 131
Drawings
5. ExistingConditions Plan. 133
ANALYSIS & EVALUATION
III.
Figures
3.1. Bird's-eyephotographs contrastingthehistoriccharacter
ofthelandscape in 1923with thatof1994. 179
3.2. Contrastingcharacterofthe overlook andviewin 1900and
2007 resultingfromgrowth ofsuccessionalwoods 180
3.3. Imageofporcelainberryandgrowth overtheslope,2007. 181
3.4.Theparadeground,2006. 182
3.5.The moatspace,2006. 182
3.6.Theoverlook terrace,2006. 182
3.7.Theslopespace,2006. 183
3.8. BatteryWeed Road and sectionsofthe mine railway, 2006. 183
3.9. HudsonRoadandtheoverlook promenade,2006. 183
3.10.Theoverlook promenadeand centralgatheringarea,2007. 184
3.11.TheslopewalksabovetheTorpedoStorage Building, 2007. 184
3.12.The routeofthewaterfrontpromenadealongthegranite
seawall andmoat,2007. 184
3.13. MinerailwayinfrontoftheTorpedo Storage Building,2007. 185
3.14.Theengineered slopeabove Battery Weed, 2007. 185
3.15.Thesouthern end ofBatteryCatlin, 2007. 185
3.16.Thenorthernend ofBattery Bacon, 2007. 186
3.17.Theparadeground lawn, 2007. 186
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