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The northern edge of the neighborhood of Flatbush in Brooklyn, New York, borders Prospect Park, an important site for the Battle of Long Island, the first major battle of the American Revolutionary War. Here, in 1776, American troops attempting to hold Battle Pass, also known as Flatbush Pass, were surprised by an attack from the rear by British forces. Even though the Americans lost this particular battle, they were able to hold off the British long enough to make a retreat to Manhattan without any further loss of life.

Prospect Park was conceived eighty years later when the New York State Legislature solicited locations for future parks. Because Brooklyn, an emerging commuter suburb, was rapidly growing, the commission responsible for proposing park sites recommended a large park be centered on Prospect Hill in Brooklyn. Today, the Flatbush battle site is recognized by plaques within the park.

The massive park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the architects who designed Central Park. Visitors especially love the following Prospect Park amenities:

Prospect Park Zoo: On the eastern side of the park, the zoo houses over 600 animals representing over 100 species and draws about 300,000 visitors each year. Its children’s educational programs center on the investigative practices that wildlife scientists undertake to further the field of zoology. Flatbush tutors and teachers can attend field trips with their students for a session of hands-on laboratory work.

LeFrak Center at Lakeside: The center provides ice skating in the winter and roller skating, biking, boating, and water play the rest of the year.

Prospect Park Lake: Especially rich in largemouth bass, the sixty-acre Prospect Park Lake is great for catch-and-release fishing and offers a free fishing clinic for kids in the summer.

The Boathouse: A last-minute preservation effort saved this early-1900s boathouse from demolition. On the northeast shore of Prospect Lake, the boathouse is now the home of Audubon Society’s Audubon Center. Hands-on exhibits and acres of restored natural habitat appeal to children and adults alike.

The Parade Ground: The Parade Ground is the place for sports. Here, schools, leagues, and clubs come to play soccer, baseball, football, netball, tennis, and volleyball. Some areas are open year-round. The Tennis Center, for example, has a seasonal bubble, allowing access to hard and clay courts during bad weather.

Children’s Corner: Highlighting this child-focused area of the park is a restored 1912 carousel with fifty-three horses, a lion, a giraffe, a deer, and two dragon-pulled chariots.

Dog Beach: Prospect Park caters even to canines! After a restoration, Dog Beach, located in Long Meadow, welcomes dogs for aquatic play. A unique underwater fence separates water-loving dogs from wildlife, and the swapping of invasive plants for native ones during the restoration improved and preserved the health of aquatic habitats.

Flatbush residents are lucky to have Prospect Park and its many amenities nearby. Students who work with a Flatbush tutor have more time to enjoy all this park has to offer.