Fort Greene Tutors Come To You

Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn’s first park, used to be the site of Fort Greene, named for General Nathanael Greene, an American Revolutionary War solider whose wisdom and skill were responsible for his promotion to second-in-command of the entire Continental Army, reporting to General George Washington.

The park, established in 1847, was later redesigned by the same two architects that designed Manhattan’s Central Park. Surrounded by flowering chestnut trees, the park, with its grassy spaces, lawns for croquet and tennis, and walking paths, was described as “one of the most central, delightful, and healthful places for recreation that any city can boast.”

That description still fits. The thirty-acre park incorporates history, culture, family fun, and play in every corner.

History
During the Revolutionary War, the British kept American prisoners of war captive on sixteen prison ships or in prisons on the shore of Wallabout Bay. Because of terrible conditions, more American prisoners died in these prisons than did in the entire war. The deceased were thrown into the bay or buried in shallow graves along the shore. Villagers eventually moved the bones to a tomb on a farmer’s land, but a proper resting was needed. It was poet Walt Whitman, a resident of Fort Greene, who pushed for the creation of a park with a crypt on the old Fort Greene site; twenty slate boxes, each measuring 2 feet by 7 feet, were eventually filled with bones and interred at the Prison Ship Martyrs’ Monument and Crypt. Although the memorial’s plaque estimates that 11,500 patriots died aboard the prison ships, some sources suggest the number is closer to 18,000. Fort Greene tutors and teachers can teach their students about the loyalty of these patriots, who accepted starvation, disease, and violence instead of switching sides to save themselves.

Culture
Fort Greene Park features the work of several talented arts. Visitors can enjoy the undulating seating system made from concrete and glow-in-the-dark sand created by artist Blythe Cain as part of a grant program. Elsewhere in the park, they will find a beautiful mosaic depicting a map of the park and made from broken glass picked up by volunteers.

Family Fun
The park serves as a central site for community events. One of these is the annual Halloween Festival and Great PUPkin Dog Costume Contest, where dogs display their colorful costumes, while human participants enjoy live music, dance workshops, creepy crawlies, and a pumpkin patch.

Play
Fort Greene Park playgrounds cater to kids, but adults have lots of recreational choices as well, including a basketball court, six tennis courts, fitness equipment, running paths, and trails.

Fort Greene Park is a great place for kids and families to enjoy the outdoors. Local students who use the services of a Fort Greene tutor can keep their schoolwork under control, allowing them more time to play at this historical park.