Governors Island - a small island just eight hundred meters from the southern tip of Manhattan and Brooklyn separated from Buttermilk Channel. It offers a great view of the sea front of New York: Manhattan skyscrapers, the Statue of Liberty, from the mouth of the Hudson scurrying back and forth ferries and yachts.

In 1624, then landed the first Dutch settlers. Forty years later, the island, like the rest of Manhattan, was ceded to the British, and in 1784 they gave him the present name - here was the house of the British colonial governor, preserved to our days.

April 9, 1776 the forces of the colonists seized the island with his forty guns, to prevent the landing of British troops in New York. But two British frigates easily break the defense of the colonists, the Continental Army was forced to leave the island, and the entire territory of the city, before the end of the War of Independence. At the end of the XVIII century young country beginning immediately the construction of the fort Jay and new coastal batteries. Erected by all the canons of military art, they did not play any role forth in any military conflict (though, during the Civil War at Fort Jay contained Confederate prisoners of war). The second major strengthening of people here was a round Castle Williams, built in 1811 on a rocky shoal in the north-west corner of the island.

At the beginning of the XX century the area of ​​the island has increased three times: here barge exported rock with the construction of urban subways. At this time the headquarters of the First US Army. Reformer of New York Robert Moses proposed to connect the island to the city via the bridge, but the military refused. In 1966 he replaced the army base here come the US Coast Guard.

In 1988, it closed to outsiders and safe piece of land met President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

At the end of the last century has left the island and the coast guard, the authorities in New York have decided to create a public park here. According to the plan the northern part of the island, with its forts will retain its historic character, the east and west will be built expensive housing (taxes from it will provide funding for the project), and in the center and south of there the huge park-museum with artificial hills, fields and woods. The movement of vehicles is prohibited, cross country cycling track. It is expected that there will be bikes hire special wooden. The island is connected with Manhattan, finally, high graceful bridge.

Renovation works are already underway. But now the island is highly curious for the tourist. Castle Williams open to the public - and this is one of the finest examples of American defense architecture. To move, you can rent a bike - even the four-wheel-for the whole family. On the northern tip of the island, just across from Manhattan's Battery Park, there is a beach.