The most interesting historical site in Central
Park is the remains of Fort Clinton.
Formerly the site of a fort built by volunteers
that was in use during the War of 1812,
Fort Clinton was named after DeWitt Clinton,
the Mayor of New York in 1811. This mound,
once occupied by the British during the
Revolutionary War, became the site of
Fort Clinton, which served as an ideal lookout
for spotting the advancement of possible
military forces along the pass below.
No guns were ever actually fired from
emplacements at this fort.
Resting on a steep incline of Manhattan
schist bedrock it is surrounded by a
semicircular iron railing.
Visitors to the location can view theHarlem Meer and the landscape below
from this vantage point.
All that remains of the old fortification
is a stone plateau and a cannon placement
commemorating the site.
