Historic Timeline of The Battery
- 1623
- Dutch settlers land and established New Amsterdam.
- 1626
- Fort Amsterdam built by the Dutch at the tip of Manhattan Island.
- 1626–1664
- Fort Amsterdam becomes the administrative center of New Netherland.
- 1664
- September 8 — Fort Amsterdam surrendered to the British and renamed Fort James.
- 1673
- Fort James captured by the Dutch; briefly held as Fort Willem Hendrick.
- 1674–1776
- Fort James, renamed successively Fort William, Fort Anne and Fort George, serves as the administrative center of the Province of New York.
- 1683–1688
- Governor Dongan mounts a cannon on the beach below Fort James - the original "Battery".
- 1689
- Captain Jacob Leisler seizes Fort James in the name of King William and builds a "Halfe Moone" battery on rocks west of the fort.
- 1691
- Leisler surrenders fort after brief siege.
- 1693
- Governor Fletcher builds a new battery under the fort wall.
- 1734
- Shoreline near the fort is reserved for military purposes.
- 1735
- A new battery is built on the Capske rocks south of the fort.
- 1756
- Fortifications with 92 guns in position below Fort George. November 3 — Guns on the Battery spiked during the Stamp Act riots.
- 1776
- Fort George and the Battery occupied by American forces.
- 1776
- July 12 — The Battery engages British frigates.
- 1776
- September 2–14 The Battery engages guns on Governor’s Island.
- 1776–1783
- Fort George and the Battery occupied by British forces.
- 1783
- November 25 — British colors at Fort George hauled down, marking the end of Imperial rule. Later celebrated as Evacuation Day.
- 1790
- Fort George demolished and the Battery is extended as a public promenade.
- 1798
- Temporary fortifications erected on the Battery.
- 1807
- Permanent fortifications for New York planned, including a "castle" on Manhattan Island.
- 1807
- The City and State of New York cede lands at the Battery for fortifications.
- 1808
- Foundations laid for the new fort on an artificial island off shore of the Battery.
- 1811
- November 25 — West Battery, just completed, fires Evacuation Day salute.
- 1812–1815
- West Battery continuously garrisoned during the War of 1812.
- 1815
- May 30 — West Battery, renamed Castle Clinton, becomes headquarters for the Third Military District. Military headquarters removed to Governors Island.
- 1823
- Castle Clinton ceded to the City of New York.
- 1824
- Remodeled as Castle Garden, the structure becomes a public entertainment center.
- 1824
- September 14 — The Marquis de Lafayette, on farewell tour, received at Castle Garden.
- 1842
- October 18 — First public demonstration of the telegraph.
- 1850
- September 11 — Opera singer Jenny Lind gives her first concert in America.
- 1851
- December 5 — The Hungarian patriot, Louis Kossuth, received.
- 1855
- Extension of the Battery joins Castle Garden to Manhattan Island.
- 1855
- Castle Garden leased to New York State Commissioners of Emigration.
- 1855–1890
- More than 8,000,000 future Americans pass through Castle Garden.
- 1876
- Castle Garden gutted by fire; immediately it is rebuilt.
- 1890
- April 18 — Immigrants land for the last time at Castle Garden.
- 1896
- Castle Garden is remodeled to become the New York Aquarium.
- 1941
- Aquarium dismantled to make way for Robert Moses’ never–built "Brooklyn to Battery Bridge" provoking a major preservation battle.
- 1946
- August 12 — Congress authorizes establishment of Castle Clinton National Monument, saving the historic walls. Castle Clinton dedicated as a National Monument and turned over to National Park Service.
- 1986
- Ticketing for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island moved to Castle Clinton, which is restored to its fortification appearance.
- 1995
- The Battery Conservancy begins operations to rebuild and revitalize the park and Castle Clinton National Monument with its government partners NYC Parks & Recreation, New York State Parks, and the National Parks Service.
- 1997
- Music at Castle Clinton series returns regularly scheduled musical performances to the Castle for the first time since Castle Garden's last performance in 1854.
- 1998
- The renovated harbor promenade is open to the public.
- 2001
- Rebuilt upper promenade with Gardens of Remembrance open, signaling the beginning of The Battery’s horticultural era.
- 2002
- Construction of The Battery Labyrinth is completed.
- 2004
- First Lady Laura Bush visits The Battery to unveil the bronze plaques to commemorate the Gardens of Remembrance.
- 2005
- Battery Bosque Gardens open June 2nd.
- 2005
- 150th Anniversary of Castle Garden. Launch of CastleGarden.org website on August 1st.