Fort Hamilton to Dyker Heights & Bensonhurst/ New Utrecht, Brooklyn historical walking or driving tour

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1. Dover Patrol Monument-John Paul Jones Park

The Dover Patrol Monument was given to the park as a gift by Sir Aston Webb, the English architect that designed the original Dover Patrol Monument located at St. Margaret's Bay in England, along with another replica that stands today in Cap Blanc-Nez, France. It stands at 75 feet tall and is made up of grey granite blocks. It has four sides, three with inscriptions and one with a shield-like mantle on what seems like a window. It is an exact replica of the original and was initially located in Fort Hamilton until 1961, when it was moved to the John Paul Jones Park in order to facilitate the construction of the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge.

2. Fort Hamilton

Historic Fort Hamilton is located in the southwestern corner of Brooklyn, New York, surrounded by the communities of Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Bensonhurst. Its mission is to provide the New York metropolitan area with military installation support for the Army National Guard and the United States Army Reserve. Fort Hamilton is a combined community comprised of active-duty Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard, and Reserve Components. The orginal part of the fort was constructed from 1825 to 1831, but there have been many additions since the 1870s. This entry takes you to the Visitors Entrance into Fort Hamilton at 101st St. and Ft. Hamilton Parkway, underneath the Verrazano Bridge overpass. See the Harbor Defense Museum Clio entry for the museum on the base, in the preserved portion of the fort, and how to access just the museum.

3. The Harbor Defense Museum

The United States expanded the fortifications protecting its harbors and waterways early in the 19th century. Fort Hamilton, built between 1825 and 1831, became part of the Third System of Fortifications built throughout New York City. The Harbor Defense Museum now occupies Fort Hamilton’s caponier, a freestanding bastion located within the fort’s dry moat. Both structures are on the National Register of Historic Places.

4. Saitta House

Made up of a curious blending of Tudor and Medieval styles, Brooklyn's Saitta House is one of the area's more unusual homes. It was built in 1899 for Beatrice and Simone Saitta. The home was designed by architect John J. Petit, who built a number of prominent homes in Brooklyn. The home, which is privately owned, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

5. New Utrecht Reformed Dutch Church Cemetery

The cemetery in Bensonhurst at 16th Ave. between 84th and 85th streets is one of the oldest in New York City. The New Utrecht Reformed Dutch Church Cemetery was established in 1653 to 1654 as the New Utrecht Burial Ground. The New Utrecht Reformed Dutch Church wasn't established until 1677, and then took over the burial ground. The one-acre cemetery contains gravestones with readable dates from about 1781 to the twentieth century. A newer church building built in 1898 (now Metropolitan Baptist Church) stands next to the cemetery where a former building was constructed in 1700 for New Utrecht Reformed Church. The cemetery became a New York City landmark and was listed in the National Register in 1998. Entrance to the cemetery through the chain link fence is on 85th St. off of 16th Ave; there is an historic sign in the cemetery at the 16th Ave./ 84th St. corner. The cemetery is not open to the public except during occasional tours by Friends of Historic New Utrecht.

6. New Utrecht Reformed Church

The New Utrecht Reformed Church is one of the first Reformed Churches created in America in the 17th century. Initially a lone church building, it now features the Liberty Pole, the Parish House, and cemetery. Now, they hold congregations weekly on Sundays in the morning.

This Tour is a Driving or Biking Tour.

Fort Hamilton to Dyker Heights & Bensonhurst/ New Utrecht, Brooklyn historical walking or driving tour

Created by Laurie Paonessa on May 7th 2022, 8:14:52 pm.

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Starting at John Paul Jones Park on the Brooklyn waterfront across from Staten Island, just north of the Verrazano Bridge, drive or hike under the bridge overpass to Fort Hamilton and its museum (you'll need I.D.). Then walk or drive north to historic sites in the Dyker Heights & Bensonhurst neighborhoods, including an old Dutch cemetery & church in the colonial Village of New Utrecht.

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Fort Hamilton to Dyker Heights & Bensonhurst/ New Utrecht, Brooklyn historical walking or driving tour

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