Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GOVERNORS ISLAND
Ferry from 10 South St, Slip 7.
212 825 3045,
www.govisland.com
.
Late May to
Sept Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat & Sun 10am-7pm. Free.
MAP
Until the mid-1990s,
Governors Island
was the largest and most expensively run Coast-
guard installation in the world, but today it's being developed into a leafy historical park, the
island's bucolic village greens and colonial architecture reminiscent of a New England col-
lege campus. Many of the buildings are being restored as art galleries and craft stores, and
the
Historic Landmark District
at the northern end is managed by the National Park Ser-
vice.
Ferries arrive at Soissons Dock, where you'll find the small visitors' centre. From here it's
a short stroll up to the solid walls of Fort Jay, completed in 1794, and the nearby shady lanes
of Nolan Park, home to some beautifully preserved Neoclassical and Federal-style man-
sions. Other highlights include Castle Williams, a circular fort completed in 1811, but there
are also plenty of green spaces in which to lounge in the sun, an artificial beach in the sum-
mer, and a breezy promenade with stellar views of Manhattan.
