Battle Hill (Brooklyn) facts for kids
Battle Hill is the highest natural spot in Brooklyn, New York City, USA. It stands about 216 feet (66 meters) above the sea. This hill was formed by glaciers during the last Ice Age. Today, Battle Hill is inside the beautiful Green-Wood Cemetery. It got its name because a very important battle happened right on its slopes.
What is Battle Hill?
Battle Hill is a special place in Brooklyn, New York. It's the highest natural point in the area. Long, long ago, during the last Ice Age, huge sheets of ice called glaciers moved across the land. As they melted, they left behind hills and ridges, and Battle Hill is one of them! It's part of a larger group of hills called the Harbor Hill Moraine.
A Famous Battle
Battle Hill is famous because of a major fight that happened there on August 27, 1776. This was during the American Revolutionary War, when Americans were fighting for their freedom from Great Britain. The battle on Battle Hill was part of the much bigger Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn. This was the largest battle of the entire Revolutionary War!
On Battle Hill, American soldiers, led by General Samuel Holden Parsons, fought bravely against British troops, led by General James Grant. The Americans caused a lot of trouble for the British soldiers on these slopes. During the fight, a British officer named Colonel James Grant was killed. When American soldiers found his name on his hat, they thought they had killed the famous General Grant, which was a big deal at the time!
Other Names for Battle Hill
Besides Battle Hill, this spot was also known as Gowan's Heights. Historically, it was part of an area called the Heights of Guan. These different names show how important and well-known this hill has been throughout history.
Important Monuments
Today, you can find several monuments on Battle Hill. The most famous one is a large bronze statue called Altar to Liberty: Minerva. Minerva is a Roman goddess known for wisdom and war. This statue was created by the artist Frederick Ruckstull in 1920. A local businessman named Charles M. Higgins helped pay for it.
The Minerva statue faces the Statue of Liberty across the harbor. People in the community are working to make sure that the view between Minerva and the Statue of Liberty is always protected. This means that no tall buildings can be built that would block this special view. So far, only one other view in New York City, from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, has this kind of protection.
