- a small public park in lower Manhattan at the foot of Broadway next to the site of the original Dutch fort of New Amsterdam
- built in 1733
- was a lead statue of King George III until in 1776, colonists tore it down to use it for bullets
- the iron fence around it still exists
- Stamp Act Riot in 1765- people marched down Bowling Green
- people assembled in front of the fort in protest
Why is it called Bowling Green; is there any significance in the name?
ReplyDeleteThere is not much significance to the name, but it was called Bowling Green because of its addition of a "bowling green" in 1733.
DeleteIs there a reason it was originally created?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteBowling Green was originally created for different purposes. For the Natives, Bowling Green was used as a council ground. For the Dutch, it was a trade route between Manhattan and the Bronx. It was also used as a market place before it was used as a park.
DeleteAnd it did actually serve as a recreational place for lawn bowling!
DeleteI want to remind everyone that statues (past and present) have a role in this place Then: the street mob tore down the George III statue. Present (well, almost - two years ago): the police put barricades around the bull statue to protect it from the Occupy Wall Street crowd.
ReplyDeleteThe overturning or destruction of statues can make a strong symbolic statement. Does anyone know of other examples of this happening - in the US or elsewhere?
extra info:
ReplyDelete- the statues that were in Bowling Green throughout the times were often subjugated to vandalism, so an anti-graffiti and desecration law was passed in 1773