Car Rental New York City and Harbor Defence Museum

Marintime Battles in “The Narrows”

In 1831, Fort Hamilton was built as a military installation to protect New York Harbour at Brooklyn’s Bay Ridge. War had come to these waters, known as the Narrows, before as this location is known as the Narrows – a main entrance way into New York City which now greets many visitors including Brooklyn car rentals in these friendlier times.

During the war of 1812 there were clashes at the site between the Americans and the British and their German conscripts. The Battle of Long Island, also called the Battle of Brooklyn, saw tens of thousands of men from the two sides clash in a pitched struggle for the East coast.

Confederate soldiers were held out of the harbour by ships operating out of Fort Hamilton during the Civil War. Soldiers from Fort Hamilton were employed to subdue the New York City Draft Riots in 1863 – a particularly difficult event in American history. Later, during WWI and WWII many ships of the American fleet departed the fort for action across the ocean. With easy access for Brooklyn car rentals, this site offers a detailed history in American defence strategies over the years.

The base was an imposing structure for would-be attackers. Many heavy cannons lined the shoreline – at one time over three dozen guns surveyed the water known as the narrows. Over time, these defenses were replaced with more modern disappearing breach loading rifles protected by concrete fortifications.

Visiting a Historic and Active Military Base

To this day, Fort Hamilton operates as a military base, currently housing a Garrison of the US Army, the 1179th Deployment Support Brigade comprised of some 5000 full time personnel along with reservists.

Guests making their way to the base via their Brooklyn car rentals are welcome to tour the Harbor Defence Museum. The fortified caponier that protected the original Fort Hamilton now serves to educate the public about the wars fought on American soil and by American soldiers in foreign lands over the years.

An hour and a half self-guided walking tour offers the opportunity for young and old to explore the remaining structures and learn from the displays that are created for the public. Period exhibits such as military clothes and weapons from Fort Hamilton’s days as an active defence post offer insight into the military struggles that defined this country in its’ early days. Visitors are shown a demonstration of how to operate a 19th century cannon used to defend New York City against enemy ships. Guided tours also involve a demonstration of how to use a musket circa the Revolutionary War.

Modern conflicts are also represented in the presentations and artefacts made accessible to the public. This helps display the link between the old and the new, illustrating how military conflicts have changed and altered the demands placed on our armed forces throughout the years.

The public, making good use of Brooklyn car rentals are also invited to attend the monthly Military History Cinema Night. Each month a military movie is shown and used to spark discussions and debates on the topic at hand. The public is welcomed with no admission fee and refreshments are provided for all attendees.

Large amounts of the original Fort Hamilton base have given way to a tower supporting the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. In the early 60’s, this bridge was constructed to join Brooklyn with Staten Island across New York Harbour. Brooklyn car rentals are often driven across this span – the largest suspension span in existence when built at over 4200 feet – while travelling across the boroughs.

Book your Brooklyn car rentals and bring your family to visit Fort Hamilton and the Harbor Defence Museum. A still-active base hosting the history of America since in birth offers and unparalleled look into our military past and present.