• 16th Infantry Regiment, Fort Jay, New York City, 1938.

    Governors Island

    National Monument New York

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  • Limited access and winter/spring programs

    Governors Island opens to the public for the 2013 season on Saturday, 25, 2013. See "Plan Your Visit" at left for details. More »

  • Phone number change

    Due to Hurricane Sandy, our phone service was disrupted. The temporary information number for the park is now via cell phone at 646-241-2670. Other contact information can be found at www.nps.gov/gois/contacts.htm More »

Army Heritage Day 2012

Colonel Albert Pawling's Levies march on Army Heritage Day
Colonel Albert Pawling's Levies on Army Heritage Day
NPS Photo
 

Join the National Park Service on Governors Island on Saturday, June 23 for a celebration of the United States Army! Making use of the island from the American Revolution to 1966, the US Army and Governors Island have long gone hand-in-hand--come out and see all that history at once! Army Heritage Day features living historians portraying US Army soldiers from the Revolutionary War through till the Korean War, as well as musical performances by the 319th Army Reserve Band and the Melissa Kate Project, a long-time USO performance group. Join us at our many fun and educational events below:

All Day Programming From 10:30AM - 4:00 PM

  • Introduce yourself to soldiers from many time periods at the Soldiers' Camp! See the lifestyle, uniforms, and weaponry of the soldier evolve over nearly 200 years.
  • 45-minute guided walking tours with a National Park Ranger at 11:25, 1:25, and 3:25. Meet at top of the hill at Soissons Dock.
  • Explore Castle Williams! Open 10:00 AM-4:30 PM with guided tours to the roof every half hour from 10:30 AM till 3:30 PM. Get your tour ticket inside the Castle! More information is available by clicking here.

10:25 AM - Special Walking Tour: The Battle of Brooklyn - Join a National Park Ranger and discover the critical role that Governors Island played during the largest battle of the Revolutionary War. Please meet at Soissons Dock.

11:00 AM, 12:30 PM & 3:30 PM - Join members of the 119th NY Volunteers for drilling and historic weapons demonstrations. Please meet at the Historic Weapons Field.

12:00 PM - The U.S. Army Statue of Liberty Band, the 319th Army Reserve Band of Fort Totten, will perform a medley of patriotic music at the Soldiers' Camp.

12:25 PM - Special Walking Tour: Prisoners of War - Join a National Park Ranger and learn about the long history of military prison sites on Governors Island, ranging from 1861 till 1966. Please meet at Soissons Dock.

2:00 PM - The Melissa Kate Project, a sultry international cabaret blues band, performs classic Motown, R&B, popular hits, and original material for servicemen and women stationed across the globe. Backed by a roster of superior musical talent, Melissa Kate's soulful music has something for everyone. For more information, please visit www.MelissaKate.net. Please meet at the Soldiers' Camp.

2:25 PM - Special Walking Tour: Race and Gender on Governors Island - This tour will cover the importance of race and gender in a historical context on Governors Island and in New York City. It will focus on the Civil War era, but will include other significant moments. Please meet at Soissons Dock.

Did You Know?

nature in NY

Most of the trees on Governors Island are fairly young. Large shrubbery was removed to provide a clear line of cannon fire to enemy ships that might have entered New York Harbor. The reintroduction of trees in the 1870s reflects the island’s transition from a fortification into a residential community.