Fort Fish
Fort Fish is an open lawn at a high point in the landscape that was once a site of strategic importance during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812.
During the War of 1812, Fort Fish was connected to a larger fortification system that included two other forts: Fort Clinton to the northeast and Nutter’s Battery to the northwest. The forts were connected by low earthen walls and linked to a gatehouse at McGowan’s Pass that controlled access to the main road through the area. The defensive line was completed with a series of blockhouses to the west, one of which still exists in the North Woods.
This fort was named for Nicholas Fish, who was chairman of the City’s Committee of Defense. The attack never materialized, and the forts never saw battle; they were left to fall into ruin or were dismantled.
In 1929, a marble bench honoring Andrew Haswell Green was installed at Fort Fish. Green was a lawyer and civic leader who was instrumental in the creation of Central Park and other important New York City cultural institutions.
