1

A CommemorativeEcological Parkto preserve the memory ofthe fallen soldiers of America’s First Battle in Gowanus, Brooklyn

Brooklyn PreservationCouncil February 2014

3RD

AVE

3RD

AVE

9TH ST9TH ST

8TH ST8TH ST

7TH ST7TH ST

4TH

AVE

4TH

AVE

MARYLANDER GREEN

1776REMEMBER

DRA

FT FO

R D

ISCU

SSIO

N

COMMUNITY OPEN SPACE

2

NOTHING is visible at the intersection ofThird Avenue and Eighth Street in theGowanus section of Brooklyn to indicatethat anything extraordinary is there. Theartisanal-pie place on one corner and theauto body shops across the way suggest itis merely another spot in the city wheregrit is giving way to gentrification. But if

a small group of history enthusiasts are right, this particular corner ofKings County is hallowed ground.

They believe that there is a mass grave a few dozen yards to the east ofthe intersection that contains the remains of American heroes: soldiersfrom the First Maryland Regiment under Col. William Smallwood,which saved Washington’s army during the Battle of Brooklyn on Aug.27, 1776. Their burial site, these advocates say, deserves the same levelof veneration accorded the military cemeteries at Gettysburg and Nor-mandy.

The leader of the find-the-Marylanders group is Bob Furman, a Brooklynhistorian and president of the Brooklyn Preservation Council, a nonprofitorganization dedicated to maintaining brownstone Brooklyn’s look andfeel. “The evidence is quite strong,” Mr. Furman said. “I’m confidentenough that I tell everyone I know.”

But Mr. Furman has no way to test his theory. Right now, the site he istargeting is a vacant, concrete-covered lot studded with weeds and sur-rounded by a chain-link fence. The owners, who say they are interestedin developing the property themselves or selling it to someone who will,

CONFIDENT Bob Furman suspects that up to 256 Revolutionary soldiers lie under this lot in Gowanus Dave Sanders for The New York Times

Seeking Brooklyn’s LostMass Grave

have rebuffed his inquiries about conducting an archaeological probe onthe site.

For New York’s relatively small community of Revolutionary War buffs,the Marylanders’ mass grave is sort of an archaeological equivalent ofthe Golden City of El Dorado — a legendary site, long sought but neverlocated. But Mr. Furman’s quest is not just about history. In addition tosolving an enduring mystery, pinpointing the Marylanders’ resting placecould influence development near the Gowanus Canal in the aftermathof the planned Superfund cleanup of the polluted industrial waterway.

Superfund designation in 2010 slowed development near the canal butdid not halt it. Work has already begun on a Whole Foods supermarketon the banks of the canal, and in July, the Lightstone Group, a developer,announced that it planned to revive a stalled project to build a residentialcomplex with 700 rental units along the waterway. If the grave site wasfound, it could spur the creation of some type of memorial, federally fi-nanced or otherwise, that would prevent at least some development.What developer would want to tread on the bones of heroes?

THE Marylanders’ story is among the more underappreciated chapters ofthe Revolutionary War. Vastly outnumbered, they launched a series ofcounterattacks that stymied rapidly advancing British forces, enablingthousands of American soldiers to evade encirclement and certain deathor capture. Had the British not been checked, it is possible that the Con-tinental Army would have been smashed, forcing Washington to surren-der and effectively bringing the war to an abrupt, inglorious end. “Thesesoldiers saved the Revolution,” Mr. Furman maintains.

Other experts don’t go as far but agree that many historians have short-changed the Marylanders. Kim Maier, executive director of the OldStone House, a Revolutionary War museum in Brooklyn, said their standwas an instance of extraordinary valor. “They really did sacrifice them-selves,” she said. “They knew going in they didn’t have a great chanceof coming out.”

By JUSTIN BURKEPublished: August 25, 2012 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/nyregion/historian-points-to-gowanus-brooklyn-lot-as-grave-of-first-maryland-regiment.html

3

As many as 256 Maryland soldiers, al-most two-thirds of the regiment, werekilled. According to several accounts,the British forced local civilians togather the bodies shortly after the battleand bury them at a site near what wasthen Gowanus Creek.

The mass grave has long been a sourceof fascination for amateur archaeolo-gists and Revolutionary War enthusi-asts. In the 1940s and ’50s, city officialsconsidered mounting a comprehensivesearch, and Robert Moses even drew upplans for a memorial park. Ultimately,the park never materialized because of alack of money, and the one dig under-taken, in 1957, found no remains.

Various archaeologists say geography isthe main reason the grave’s location hasremained a secret. In 1776 the area fea-

tured marshland and millponds surrounding Gowanus Creek. Only a fewdots of high ground would have been suitable for a grave.

The area was transformed beginning in the mid-19th century. The canal it-self was dug in the 1860s, followed by industrialization along its banks.The neighborhood was made level, and both sides of the canal were linedwith landfill. “Historically speaking, it’s like night and day,” said AlyssaLoorya, owner of Chrysalis Archeological Consultants Inc., which has sur-veyed the area.

Grave hunters’ attention in recent decades has focused on a stretch ofThird Avenue between Seventh and Eighth Streets, because RevolutionaryWar-era maps show hills in the area. Written reminiscences, compiledmostly in the 1950s but dating as far back as the 1890s, also tell of bonesbeing found when basements were dug.

Many archaeologists are skeptical.

“The grave site has been difficult to pinpoint because the descriptions are,in fact, general, and in most cases secondhand,” said H. Arthur Bankoff,the chairman of the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology atBrooklyn College. “There is a distinct possibility that the graves have beendestroyed.”

But Mr. Furman says that modern technology, including advanced com-puter mapping techniques and ground-penetrating radar, can help him suc-ceed where others have failed. Professor Bankoff acknowledged that“advances in remote sensing” have enabled archaeologists to “locatethings and sites that were elusive decades ago.”

Mr. Furman says he believes that working with Eymund Diegel, an urbanplanner who lives in the area and is skilled at computer mapmaking, hecan reconstruct the area’s lost topography. He is convinced that the crest ofthe likeliest burial hill is just under the concrete that covers the vacant loton Eighth Street. An extensive search of public records, he adds, showsthat the site was never excavated, nor was it filled in.

An observation made last July raised the group’s hopes further. Mr. Diegelwas using a balloon to take aerial photos of the area as part of a project tomap drainage patterns. Studying the photos, he noticed an unusual patternof cracks in the concrete at the Eighth Street lot. To his eye, it indicatedthat the ground underneath had been disturbed in a way that might be con-sistent with a grave site.

As a next step, Mr. Furman wants to tear up a patch of concrete andprobe the area with ground-penetrating radar. But even if he couldobtain the money necessary for equipment and specialists, it is un-likely he would get permission to perform the tests.

An entity called Derby Textile Corporation owns the lot. Reached bytelephone, someone connected with Derby, who asked that his namenot be used because he did not want to be drawn into controversy,said the search for the grave site was “a bunch of gibberish.” He in-sisted that a foundation had been dug when a structure was built onthe property in the early 1900s and that there were no reports ofbones being found.

The current owners bought the building in 1970 and it burned downin 1989, he added. The owners would prefer to develop the lot them-selves, the man said, but would sell if the price was right; he declinedto divulge a specific figure. “It’s not a cheap piece of property,” hesaid.The other option open to the grave hunters is an even longer shot:persuade officials to come up with money to buy the lot and desig-nate it a park. “If we can get a park,” Mr. Furman said, “we can thentry to figure out whether the Marylanders are there.”

LIKE the men of Smallwood’s regiment in 1776, the grave huntersare facing grim odds. The pending onslaught of development threat-ens to overwhelm their preservationist aspirations for the neighbor-hood.

Mr. Furman says he dreams of putting together a Brooklyn version ofBoston’s Freedom Trail, with stops at various points of Revolution-era significance. Mr. Diegel clings to a vision of a greenbelt along thecanal. Both worry that the historical structures and the local busi-nesses and artists who have made use of them in recent years will belost if the area is rezoned in the wake of the Superfund cleanup. Theyalso acknowledge that there is no way they can match any future de-velopers’ financial muscle or connections.

In their eyes, the outcome of this second battle along the Gowanuswill determine whether the neighborhood remains a low-rise middleground that acts as a bridge between Carroll Gardens and Park Slope,or becomes an architectural island, full of the glossy towers of con-dos and rentals that have transformed the Williamsburg waterfront inrecent years. “Urgency is an issue here,” Mr. Diegel said.

Their best hope, it seems, is that the Marylanders might once againcome to the rescue.

HEROIC Kim Maier, executivedirector of the Old StoneHouse, a Revolutionary Wareducational center in ParkSlope.

An engraved illustration of the Battle of Brooklyn

4

Day five in a series exploring how the trail of the Battle of Brooklynwould pass across modern-day New York. Shown in photo, a potentialburial site of the Maryland regiment, near the intersection of 3rd Av-enue and 8th Street, that went uninvestigated when it was recently dugup.

The day after the battle, there are dead and wounded all around: 1,000American soldiers in the woods and the fields all around what is todayPark Slope and Greenwood Cemetery, all along the Shore Road that istoday in the vicinity of 3rd Avenue and 3rd Street, as well as Pep Boys,Hotel Le Bleu and J.J. Byrne Park. A thousand men were captured. Thelate John J. Gallagher, the military historian and forensic historian (whois buried on Greenwood Cemetery's Battle Hill, in view of the harborand all the field of battle) wrote: "Scattered parties of the living were stillhiding in the forests and swamps or trying to make their way to theinner lines around Brooklyn Heights."

The day before had been a hot summer day, but now there was a sum-mer rain, with lightning and thunder—a storm, that kept the British fromsailing up the East River. The British position, after the previous day'sfight, is the opposite of gentrification: the British now control all of theland to the east of Brooklyn, threatening the Manhattan-convenientBrooklyn Heights, where the Americans are held up in their forts andcamps. A Rhode Island soldier wrote: "After we got into our fort therecame a dreadful rain heavy storm with thunder and lightning, and therain fell in such torrents that the water was soon ankle deep in the fort."It was a typical summer rainstorm, much like the rainstorm that wasreenacted in Brooklyn this morning, 236 years later.

The big casualties were at what was known as the Old Stone House.The British, under General Cornwallis, were stopped from their ad-vance toward Brooklyn Heights by an American general, Lord Sterling.(His title was disputed in England but Washington, perhaps due to anacute need for experienced military commanders, did not mind callinghim Lord.) With a group of about 250 soldiers from Maryland, they at-tacked the overwhelming number of British soldiers—attacked sixtimes, each time, scores falling dead. George Washington, whilewatching from what is today Trader Joe's, is attributed with saying:"Good God, what brave fellows I must this day lose!" Cornwallis latersaid, "General Sterling fought like a wolf."

The Marylanders were reportedly buried by the British in a mass grave,and the whereabouts of that grave have long been of great interest tolocal Brooklyn historians. But it's not an interest widely shared else-where, despite the valor of the Maryland troops having allowed the restof Washington's army to escape. Gallagher was occasionally in searchof the grave, at the time I spoke to him about it, at a book signing in2000, when he signed a book for my then 11-year-old son, ancient his-tory.

THE BATTLE OF BROOKLYNThe British Invasion… Again: The Mystery Of The Missing Marylanders' GraveRobert Sullivan | August 28th, 2012http://www.theawl.com/2012/08/the-british-invasion-again-the-missing-maryland-grave

Every year there is a memorial service, a small group of people comingto Brooklyn from Maryland, as well as Pennsylvania and Delaware. TheAmerican Legion post at 9th Street and 9th Avenue has a plaque. Butstill, the Marylanders feel forgotten.

To imagine where they were it is necessary to picture the Gowanus notas a canal but as a marsh, with famously large oysters. There was amillpond, where water collected to power a mill. There was a tidal as-pect, as there is today. To imagine where the Marylanders might beburied, you have to try and picture where the filled in creek ends andwhere the land on an old Dutch farm would have begun, a difficult task.Traditionally, it is thought to have been along 3rd Avenue, near 9thStreet. There was a plaque for many years. In 1957, James Kelly, theborough historian of Brooklyn at the time, got the federal government todo a dig along 3rd Avenue, near 8th Street, in the vicinity of the tradi-tional burial site. It was a dream come true for Kelly. "No place is moresacred in America," he wrote. He was with the archaeologists duringthe dig, when they found nothing, with the exception of old clay pipesand foot-long oyster shells.

Recently, an historian was in the Times saying that there shouldbe a dig a few yards away. "The evidence is quite strong," he toldthe reporter.

"I'm confident enough that I tell everyone Iknow."I know how he feels. A couple of years ago, when a building went up afew dozen feet away, construction crews began to dig a large pit—itwas, I realized when I passed it, in the same general vicinity as the tra-ditional Marylanders burial site. I called every archaeologist I knew. No-body was interested. The hole got deeper. I looked for signs—of what Iknew not. I called more people. I took photos. At last, constructionbegan, the hole filled. It was depressing, to say the least, as it is now,when I think of it. I always wonder if there are ghosts in the underground parking lot.

5

Marylander Green Community Open Spaceis a proposed memorial park located inGowanus, Brooklyn.

It would honor the memory of soldiers who diedin the 1776 Battle of Brooklyn, America’s firstmilitary engagement as an independent nation.

American troops were defeated, but they hadthe strategic foresight to retreat and ultimatelywin the War of Independence.

Without Gowanus, there would be no America.

The half acre park would be located on one ofthe suspected burial grounds of the fallentroops, located at Third Avenue and 8th Street.

The site would also celebrate the rich industrialhistory of Brooklyn as the backbone of America’s Industrial Revolution.

The new park is part of a broader collaborativeeffort to establish a network of open spacesand greenways acrosss th Gowanus watershedto improve the quality of life of its growing population and the boroughs visitors.

Executive Summary

Art Place America named the Gowanus andPark Slope the top neighborhood in the country that successfully combined art, artistsand other creatives, independent businesses,retail shops and restaurants, and walkability tomake vibrant places.

The new Marylander Park and memorialgreenway would help strengthen these destinations values for Brooklyn, the center of America’s Revolution.

The Battle of Brooklyn Gowanus Canal Revolutionary Trail & Greenway

MMAARRYYLLAANNDDEERRGGRREEEENN

OOLLDDSSTTOONNEEHHOOUUSSEE

PPOOWWEERRHHOOUUSSEEEENNVVIIRROONNMMEENNTTAALLAARRTTSS CCEENNTTEERR

GGOOWWAANNUUSSCCAANNAALL

3RD

AVE

3RD

AVE

9TH ST9TH ST

8TH ST8TH ST

7TH ST7TH ST

4TH

AVE

4TH

AVE

3RD A

VE

Gene

ral H

owe

/ Jaim

e Ro

jo, st

reet

arti

st

2006

20

13 p

lannin

g co

ncep

t by E

dwar

d M

azze

r

6

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE MARYLANDER BURIAL SITE

On August 27 1776, a month after America’sDeclaration of Independence from Great Britain,troops from the newly formed Continental Armyfought for the first time as Americans againstBritish and Hessian troops. Much of the fightingwas concentrated near what is now 4th Avenueand 3rd Street in Park Slope, Brooklyn, site ofthe Old Stone House Memorial. America lost theBattle of Long Island but had the strategicforesight to retreat and eventually win the warthat created the United States of America. A large number of American soldiers died andwere buried near the battlefield.

Old Stone House Battle Site

1776, 27 August - The Continental Army at the Battle of BrooklynPainter - Domenick D'Andrea

1

2

211782 SPROULE SURVEY MAP with American fortifications around the Gowanus Marshes in 1776

Marylander Hill Burial Site

9th Street

3rd Av

enue

Where is their burial site and how should weremember America’s first soldiers ?

cove

r pho

tos:

Anna

Vieb

rock

& F

red

Plau

t

(Frasier 1909, Thomas 1913, Furman 2013)Denton’s Mill Burial Site 2

3

7

View of site looking south towards Ninth street towards Sunset Park

WHERE IS THE SUSPECTED BURIAL SITE ?

View of site looking north towards 8th street and theGowanus Canal

View of site looking north east towards Park Slope with adjacent subway line bridge and station.

The Site is located between 8th and 9th Streets and Thirdand Fourth Avenues, in the neighborhood of Gowanus, onthe edge of Park Slope, in Brooklyn, United States ofAmerica.

It is a former chemical factory and knitting mill and now avacant concrete slab stretching between 8th Street and9th Street and is adjacent to the Rawley’s Veterans Post.It is 5 minutes walk from the 4th Ave / 9th Street Subway

stop, served by the F, G and R subway and the 61 Bus.The site is currently for sale. The adjacent RawleyAmerican Legion Post has plaques and flag poles com-memorating the contribution of the Marylander andDelaware Regiments to the 1776 War for American Inde-pendence during the Battle of Brooklyn.

There is strong evidence that this site may still holdthe remains of the first soldiers ever to die for the American Continental Army.

2012 Aerials via Bing PictometryNINTH

STREET

THIRD AVENUE

8TH STR

EET

SITE

8

The Marylander Design Competition would be held todevelop plans for the following Park components:

A memorial to the soldiers who were buried there.

A commemorative community park and playgroundreflecting the values that the soldiers fought for.

A museum or outdoor exhibits reflecting potentialarchaeological site investigation findings, including itsindustrial history. This would be integrated withexisting Old Stone House education programming.

Future plans, based on findings, may include:

Veterans parking improvements and potentialschool tour group access accommodations.A stewardship center and park maintenance facilityfor groups like the Gowanus Canal Conservancy,Gowanus Alliance and local block associations.An urban landscaping greenway incorporating asystem of both natural and artificial “street creeks” totie the park to the existing Old Stone House and Heritage Trail amenities and reconnecting the naturalflow of water to Gowanus Canal Waterfront Park

VeteransPostImprovements

ExistingMemorial

Flag

THIRD AVENUE

NINTH STREET

EIGHTH STREET170 8th Street

197 9th Street

1

2

3

4

5

6

23

5

6

6

A NEW PARK IS PROPOSED..

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE ?

A SITE OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE

flag

logo:

Nat

ional

Arch

ives

4

MARYLANDER MEMORIAL PARK

NewPlayground

1

Gene

ral H

owe

/ Jaim

e Ro

jo, st

reet

arti

st

2006

NewMuseum

Memorial

Mike

Lau

terb

orn

SITE FORSALE

SITESOLD IN2013

9

1869 Plan of the Positions andMovements of the British andAmerican Army on the 26th and27th of August 1776TW Field, Brooklyn Historical Society Map Collection.

This is one of the few maps to show thegeneral burial location of the casualties of the Battle of Brooklyn.

1846 Brooklyn Eagle Farm MapHighlighted in yellow is the Staats, and

later Bergen, Farms patent as described inStile’s 1869 History of Brooklyn.The 2012 Battle of Brooklyn Old StoneHouse Walking Guide notes that theStaats and the Bergen families used a hillin the Gowanus marshlands, circled in red,for family and slave cemeteries. HistorianTW Fields (1869) records these as havingbeen used for the 1776 military burials.

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE THAT THIS IS THE ACTUAL BURIAL SITE ?

WHAT OTHER RESEARCH IS THERE ON THE BURIAL GROUND ?

10

As part of the collective gathering of communityknowledge that allows for more informed debate,views by local historians who believe there is nodirect evidence that a mass burial ever existedare presented here. The research by William Parryand Kim Maier of the Old Stone House can be con-sulted for researchers wanting to weigh the pro andcons of what actually happened to war dead duringthe 1776 Battle of Brooklyn.

Key arguments are:- On site casualties were less numerous than as-sumed. The majority of the 256 “casualties” wereprisoners who would have died on the British shipsin Wallabout Bay, not near the Old Stone House orMarylander Hill. Fighting soldiers were scatteredin small groups, and would have been buriedwere they fell. There is no first hand observer his-torical record that they were ever centralized in asingle mass grave. There are however severalrecords of individual scattered burials.

“In the battle (of Long Island, August 27 1776) part of theBritish army marched down a lane (Port Road) leadingfrom the Brush Tavern (at Valley Grove) to Gowanos, pur-suing the Americans. Several of the American riflemen, inorder to be more secure (...) had posted themselves inhigh trees near the road. One of them, whose name isnow partially forgotten, shot the English Major Grant; inthis he passed unobserved. Again he loaded his deadlyrifle, and fired - another English officer fell. He was thenmarked, and a platoon (..) fired into the tree and the rifle-man fell to the ground dead.

After the battle was over, the two British officers wereburied in a field, near where they fell, and their gravesfenced in fenced in with some posts and rails, where theirremains still rest.

But for an "example to the rebels," they refused the Amer-ican rifleman the rites of sepulture; and his remains wereexposed on the ground, till his flesh rotted, and torn offhis bones by the fowls of the air. After a considerablelength of time, in a heavy gale of wind, a large tree wasuprooted; in the cavity formed by which, some friends ofthe Americans (...) placed the brave soldier's bones tomingle in peace with their kindred earth."

1824 - page 51 - "Notes Geographical and Historical re-lating to the town of Brooklyn, in Kings County on LongIsland" Gabriel FurmanCounter Argument: scattered bones were knownto be collected into centralized spots, The PrisonShips Martyrs Monument in Fort Greene Park beingan example

WHAT ARE ARGUMENTS AGAINST THIS BEING THE MARYLANDER BURIAL GROUND ?

“There is a current tradition among the families whosefarms covered the site where the Marylanders were en-gaged, that their dead were buried by the residents on amound that rose from a salt meadow in the vincinity ofThird Avenue and Seventh Street.

After frequent examination of the ground I am of the opin-ion that few of the bodies were interred at that place origi-nally, as it was too distant. It is probable, however, thatafter the war, when the farms were again cultivated,that the skeletons were collected and buried on theisland mound, to secure them from the violation of theplough. The Van Brunt and Bennett families retain the tra-dition with sufficient details to authorize the belief that theburials of most of the brave and generous youth of Mary-land who fell still lie under the soil of Third Avenue.”

1868, TW Fields Monograph on historic and antiquarianscenes on Brooklyn, as quoted in “Old Brooklyn: TheServices of the Maryland Battalion, Brooklyn Eagle, 1 December 1870

GEOGRAPHICALLY IMPROBABLE 1848 - Sketch of the Homesteadof Cornelius Van Brunt, taken from “Marylander Hill” (reproduced 1890,inscribed “Denton Mill Cortelyou 1699 Adriance homestead / Polhe-mus”) courtesy of Long Island Historical Society. Note the lack of adja-cent access road. Connection from Old Gowanus Road a 1000 feetaway would have required crossing Staats Brook, that watered the hayfields.Family cemeteries (eg Staats, Van Brunt, Bergen lo-cated on “Gowanus Islands” and where soldiers re-mains may have been reinterred after local farmersstarted plowing their fields were relocated toGreenwood Cemetery when burial hills were re-graded for road construction in the 1850s.

Counter Argument: Only family graves would havebeen relocated. Private cemeteries cost money, andthere is no record of the Federal Government everhaving spent a penny to honor the RevolutionaryWar veterans. The soldiers graves are still there.

11

A - Stone House of Gowanus, owned by the Vechtes in 1699 and 1776

B - The Lower Mill, built by Abram Brouwer in 1701. Owned by Nehemia Denton during the Revolutionary War, and then called Denton’s Mill.

C - The Upper or Gowanus Mill - Oldest Mill in Brooklyn called Freeke’s Mill during the Revolutionary War.

D - Branch of Gowanus Creek extending into Vechte Farm. At the present day an arm of the Gowanus Canal

E - Upper, or Freeke’s Mill PondF - Lower Mill Pond. Called Denton’s Mill Pond during the War.G - Private canal of Nicholas Vechte, connecting Brower’s Pond

with his own creek.H - Porte Road, running from Gowanus Heights acrosss

mill pondsI - Flatbush Road, running from Flatbush, over Wooded Heights,

to BrooklynJ - Gowanus Creek, now the Gowanus CanalK - Brook on the Vechte Farm, rising from spring beside the

Stone House and emptying into arm of Gowanus Creek.L - Gowanus Creek widening to Gowanus BayM - Island were many soldiers were buried

Georgia Fraser, 1909, The Stone House at Gowanus, Scene of the Battle of Long Island

THE ALTERNATE GOWANUS BURIAL ISLAND THEORY

Georgia Fraser argues that American soldiers trapped at DentonsMill (now First Street Basin landfill) who were killed or drownedwere buried on the small island adjacent to the Mill. “Upon this island, situated about at Second Street near thepresent Canal, a great many of the Revolutionary unknownheroes were buried. This occurred both immediately after thebattle - when the residents of Gowanus were compelled to burythe dead that lay upon their lands - and during the succeedingyears when the plows of the farmers upturned the bones that layas near the surface of the ground as their furrows. This buryingplace has never been disturbed... Here, therefore, lie most of thebones of the brave young Marylanders..”

1766 Ratzer Map with 2010 Building Overlays1909 Georgia Frasier Marylander Burial Ground Map

1766 Ratzer Map overlaid on 2011 Balloon AerialGowanus Canal Conservancy mappers took aerial photographs forthe First Street Basin Water Park Restoration Plan and establishedthe possibility that a small section the “Island” could have survived1870’s landfilling and the Power House construction in the 1890s.

ARGUMENTS IN FAVOR:Because of the Dentons MillDock and Flour Mill, this Islandwas easily accessible by horsecart via the Gowanus and PorteRoads. It would have allowed rel-atively easy collection and trans-port of bodies by cart, and easyburial in the relatively soft marshsoils along Dentons Mill damwhich intersected the Island. Drowned bodies could also have beeneasily moved from near the Old Stone House on boat via Vechte’sCanal. “Marylander Hill” had no such convenient road access.

COUNTER ARGUMENTSThe tidally flooded island was not big enough to hold more than afew dozen bodies. Unlike the existing the “Marylander Hill” Staatsand Bergen Family Cemetery site, the Denton family would mostlikely have objected to a periodically flooded mass grave directlyadjacent to their working mill. Remains are at Marylander Hill.

1ST ST

CARROLL ST

CANAL

3RD ST

1858 Chappel painting of the 1776 Battle at Denton’s Mill

12

An Overview of Archaeological Studies performed round the Marylander Hill Burial Area

PROPOSED PARK SITESBased on the latest historical findings, and review ofhistorical maps, the proposed Marylander Park andarchaeological site will be made up of one key Acquisi-tion Parcel and potentially two other study parcels:

The Marylander Green Park Site, 170 8th Street, Brooklyn Block 1003 Lot 11 Vacant Fried Family Knitting Mill Site

This is principal and only site being considered for thearchaeological investigation and commemorative park.

Should archaeological survey discover cemetery relics,two other adjacent study sites will be considered for theirrelationship to the proposed park

Study Area Site 2 : Veterans Post Parking Lot 193 9th Street, Brooklyn Block 1003 Lot 64 Rawley Veterans Post 1636 Parking Lot

Based entirely on the interests of current owners,discussions would be initiated for an expanded archaeo-logical study and how to better integrate this site withpark, for example for periodic school bus parking.

2013 MAP with Marylander Hill Site showing selected lots based on archaeological reports and georeferenced historical maps.

Study Area Site 3: (Air Rights / public space study)203 9th Street, Brooklyn Block 1003 Lot 59, a one storywarehouse/parking owned by 203 9th Street Associates This site was being considered for its suitability for anEnvironmental Stewardship Center for local groups suchthe Gowanus Canal Conservancy as part of MarylanderPark Maintenance Plan. It was sold in 2013 for 2.8 million to become an apartment complex.(see Appendix for more information on these lots)

1

2

3

1

2

3

1998 Bona Fide Oil Archaeological Study, Arthur Bankoff (nothing found)1947 Robert Moses Historical Park Proposal Area1956 U.S. National Parks Service Historical Survey(Historical Orientation Report for ArchaeologicalInvestigation, Marylanders’ Burial Site, Brooklyn) (Findsevidence of burials, but construction and active uses onsite prevented further plans) Report recommendsagainst commemoration.1957 Columbia University Archaeological StudyArea ( off Hill area, nothing found )2009 Construction Excavation of portion of 7th Streetand Third Ave site (already disturbed, nothing found)

2012 Over My Dead Body Balloon Expedition, based onFurman’s research, takes balloon photographs of the never excavated southern Site. Unusual crack patterns prompt a LIDARmicro-topography study which shows grave-shaped bumps.

2012 William J Parry History Study argues that 10th Street Mary-lander Hill section was further south and any burials were removed

2013 School Construction Authority (SCA) Study: TRC does soil borings and AKRF Archaeological Services finds noevidence of burials in borings. Borings in too small an area (underone square foot) to draw archaeological conclusions but establishthat native undisturbed soils of Marylander Hill have survived.

Portions of the northern 8th Street Marylander Hill site were excavated and nothing found. In 2013, Site 3 was soldfor probable apartments. Site 1, the unexplored 9th Street section has become available. A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR INVESTIGATING AND COMMEMORATING OUR HISTORY

1890sDiscovery of 30 bodies in a row by building contractor Ryan(fate of bones unknown)

13

THE NUMBER OF WAR DEAD AND THEIRBURIAL LOCATIONLinda Davis Reno gives the most accurate burial esti-mate of a 143 locally buried casualties based on awell researched Regiment history. (The Maryland 400and the Battle of Long Island, 2008). The local burialsare referred to as the dead of the Maryland andDelaware regiments or the “Marylander 400”. Esti-mates of total battle casualties have ranged from 256who died at the Stone House battle site (James Wal-ter Thomas, 1913) to 1,120 (John J. Gallagher, TheBattle of Brooklyn, 1995) but this included totaldeaths throughout Brooklyn and soldiers taken pris-oners. The Marylander State Archives is undertakinga major updated 2013 study of the number of battledead based on their archival records.

"On the shore of Gowanus Bay sleep the remains ofthis noble band. Out upon the broad surface of thelevel marsh rose a little island with trees and under-growth. Around this mound, scarcely an acre in ex-tent, clustered a few of the survivors of the fatal fieldand of the remorseless swamp, and here the heroicdead were brought, and laid beneath its sod, after thestorm of battle had swept by. Tradition says that allthe dead of the Maryland and Delaware battalions,who fell on and near the meadow, were buried inthis Miniature island, which promised at that day theseclusion and sacred (quiet which befit the restingplace of the heroic dead. Third avenue intersects thewesterly end of the mound; and Seventh and Eighthstreets indicate two of its sides".Chronicles of Colonial Maryland, James WalterThomas, 1913 (further research shows hill extendedfrom 7th to 9th Street, and potentially as far as 11thStreet)"Mingled with the remains of the servile sons ofAfrica whose burial ground it also was, lies the dustof those brave boys.”Fields, 1869, as quoted in Hunter Research Draft2012 Gowanus Canal Archaeology Report, referringto Marylander Hill

Attention for locating the Marylanders has been fo-cused on the “traditional site” on the east side ofThird Ave between 7th and 8th Street. This proposalincludes updated research discussions about hillsections outside of this area where the above men-tioned grave remnants may have survived.

2012 MARYLANDER HILL MICRO TOPOGRAPHY LIDAR MODELLight Imaging Data and Ranging (LIDAR) study of the “flat” concreteslab covering the 170 8th Street. The site was identified as a possiblesurviving remnant of the Marylander Burial Ground and LIDAR looks forterrain anomalies. The 2010 laser beam generated topographic data isaccurate to within a quarter of an inch. It is capable of detecting minorfluctuations in the ground, giving invaluable clues to potential buried archaeological sites such as lost grave yards. Bumps could also besloppy concrete work. 2010 DEM (Digital Elevation Model)

image by Jarlath O’Neil-Dunne and Eymund Diegel

8TH ST

9TH STVETERANSPOST

1766 RATZER MAP showing Marylander Hill area, an “island”surrounded by marshy streams that was used as neighborhoodburial site and 1776 Battle of Brooklyn burial ground as describedby historians.

3RD A

VE

9TH ST

1782 SPROULE MAP showing Marylander Hill surrounded bystreams. Gowanus Creek being salty, colonial farm houses werebuilt next to fresh water springs that fed marsh streams.

1

1

14

In 1933 Old Stone House Memorial Committeetook the leadership role in commemorating Battleof Brooklyn history with the reconstruction of theoriginal farmhouse at JJ Byrne Park.

With the repopulation of the Gowanus basin afterdecades of industrial decline, the Old StoneHouse has helped promote a resurgence of “Battle of Brooklyn” themed activities by local historical and cultural groups, and a growing interest in the neighborhood’s history.

http://theoldstonehouse.org/

"Aye, this is the ground, My blind eyes even as I speak behold it re-peopled fromgraves, The years recede, pavements and stately houses disappear, Rude forts appear again, the oldhoop’d guns are mounted, I see the lines of rais’d earth stretching from river to bay, I mark the vista ofwaters, I mark the uplands and slopes; Here we lay encamp’d, it was this time in summer also."

(a conversation between a Revolutionary War veteran and a young Union Army volunteer in the firstyear of the Civil War. Soldiers drill on a bright day in Fort Greene Park, and the veteran suddenlyremembers the real fighting he took part in eighty-five years earlier on the same hills overlooking theGowanus marshes)

by Walt Whitman, Brooklyn Poet, from Leaves of Grass, 1855, as quoted in Barnet Schecter's The Battle for New York, 2010

May 2012 Old Stone House Battle of Brooklyn reenactments with formerBrooklyn Parks Commissioner Julius Spiegel and current Brooklyn ParksCommissioner Kevin Jeffrey.

2012, 1 March, The Old Stone House, or Vechte Cortelyou house, site of the Gowanus Battle of Brooklyn Marylander soldiers last standPhotographer: Sean Hanley

Photog

raph

er - Malcolm Pinckney

15

2010, Battle of Brooklyn, a 6 daystreet art event by General Howe /Jaime Rojo

2008, Marylander Street Art, Peter Manzari

2001, The Brave Man, film reenact-ment of the Battle of Brooklyn usingred and blue actors to show troopmovements, by Joseph McCarthy

2012, Liberty PoleSmith and Bergen Street,

Sasha Chavchavadze,Proteus Gowanus,

The Battle of Brooklyn has become acultural touchstone, an opportunity forcreating a “Revolutionary Museumwithout Walls”, and to continue developing the Borough as a culturaldestination.

2013, Robert Sullivan’s My American Revolutiondescribes how alive history can be,right under our noses.

16

"My father (a building contractor)found … the bones ofsome thirty bodies inregular, or militaryorder in the course ofdigging cellars forapartment buildings onthe site.”

Dr. Nicholas Ryan, a Brooklyn Heights physician, as quoted in Historical Orientation Report for Archaeological Investigation, Marylanders’ Burial Site, Brooklyn,New York, 1956, U.S. National Parks Service. BoroughHistorian Kelly also records that in 1955 Peter Bacenet of427 Third Ave (at 7th Street) had found bones in hisbackyard but had thrown them away.

1850 Stodard Topographic Survey of Third Avenueshowing Marylander Hill at 21 feet in 1850, roughly thesame as 2013. The adjacent 24 feet elevation portion ofthe Hill was never excavated, meaning some gravescould have survived. (Bob Furman archives)

GRAVES COULD HAVESURVIVED LANDSCAPECHANGES

In 1955, Congress enacted legislation to pay forhistorical research by federal archaeologists inpreparation for declaring the site a national ceme-tery. The 1956 Study collected valuable evidenceon the potential survival of soldiers graves at theThird Ave and 8th Street “Marylanders’ Burial Site”,but heavy urbanization and active property usesprevented excavations at the time. During the1980s industrial buildings built on top of thesuspected grave site area were abandoned anddemolished, leaving behind a concrete slab cover-ing a third of an acre. This accidental mortuary slabraised the possibility that a portion of the gravescould have remained undisturbed, as the build-ings had never had excavated basements.

Using Bob Furman’s updated 2011 Marylanderresearch, investigations by cartographer EymundDiegel showed that “Marylander Hill” was still atroughly the same height in 2012 that it was in1776, (sloping from 16 to 24 feet). Though Mary-lander Hill’s surrounding valley stream beds hadbeen filled in as 1850’s road construction landfilledthe Gowanus Marshes, parts of the hill top had re-mained intact. In 2012, encouraged by this hill topsurvival possibility, citizen researchers fromProteus Gowanus and Public Laboratory contin-ued community research efforts using high resolu-tion balloon photography equipment from theGowanus Low Altitude Mapping program (GLAM).

Their aerial photographs uncovered new evidenceof the potential survival of a mass grave ofRevolutionary War soldiers on the vacant lot,now in imminent danger of redevelopment.

17

NEW RESEARCHPortions of the original hill top cemetery mayhave survived the ravages of urbanization, andstate of the art digital aerial photography andLIDAR topographic modeling shows cracksand depressions in the now paved site consis-tent soil conditions for rows of graves.

The theory that balloon mappers explored in2012 was wether the different soil compactionfrom digging graves or covering grave moundswith cobbles would have caused cracks toappear on the concrete slabs covering thetrenches as trucks drove over them.

HOW MUCH SPACE WOULD BODIES TAKE ? 2013 map showing survival of portions the original 24 foot highMarylander Hill (compared to surveyed heights in the 1835 USGS Renard Survey and the 1850 New York City RoadsGrading Survey by Stodards and Willard Day ). Overlaid on the map is an estimate of the space that would be occupiedby 143 to 256 bodies, based on a sketch (see following page) by Henry Wildhack Jr., a local resident interviewed in the1956 National Parks Service Archaeological Survey. Based on the sketch, the trenches roughly followed a truenorth/south Christian burial axis. The speculative grave layout ignores any curvature in the hill slope, or a magnetic northalignment.

18

In 1947, Parks Commissioner Robert Moseshad a rough sketch proposal for a MemorialPark drawn up, (shown in red overlay on this2010 aerial) but lack of funds preventedimplementation.

MOSESORIGINAL MARYLANDER PARK SITE

PROPOSED NEWMARYLANDER GREENSITE

3rd AV

E

7th ST

8th ST

9th ST

The 1956 National Parks Survey quoted local resi-dent Henry Wildhack Jr. who remembered findingbones and metal fragments while playing among therows of burial trenches that stretched up the hill.These would have stretched from 8th to 9th Street,the focus area of the Marylander Green site below.

“The burialtrenches usedto run in thisdirection. Ithink therewere 6 ofthem.”

WILDHACKTRENCHAREA

Henry Wildhack Jr, then aged 11, in a 1905 Newspaperphoto of the 1897 Marylander Plaque that was on thesidewalk of Third Avenue near 8th Street

Robert Moses, Park Planner

1956 Henry Wildhack Jr, Trench sketch from 1956 Survey

2010 Aerial showing Trench area, Moses Plan and New Park

Arno

ld Ne

wman

/ Ge

tty Im

ages

/ W

.W. N

orto

n

19

Using innovative aerial photographyequipment borrowed from GLAM(Gowanus Low Altitude Mapping)and Public Lab, independent re-searchers from the Brooklyn Preser-vation Council and Proteus exploredthe entirely speculative theory of thepotential survival of revolutionarywar graves on an abandoned in-dustrial site associated with the Bat-tle of Brooklyn. Though findingswere inconclusive, the pattern ofcracks and unusual pattern of ceme-tery like bumps clearly raised theneed for more thorough archeologi-cal investigations

Brooklyn Citizen Science at work: 7 July 2012 – Grassroots Mapping aerial of the 170 8th Street “New Park”Site showing an unusual crack pattern; a Grassroots Mapper is simulating space a buried body would occupy.

The Over My Dead Body Team: Liz Barry, Gena Wirth, Leif Percifield, Eymund Diegel, Sara Dabbs(photographer)

20

July 2012 Balloon “Concrete Crack” Aerial overlaid with 1” topographic contours derived from2010 NYC LIDAR Digital Elevation Model for the 170 8th Street Site

In the above aerial of the 170 8th Street site,taken from a balloon, Grassroots Mapper LizBarry demonstrates the space occupied by agrave. Next to her in blue are one inch topo-graphic contours derived from the New YorkCity 2010 LIDAR model.

Curiosity about the unusual balloon photo-graph crack patterns prompted Eymund Diegelto work with Jarlath O’Neill Dunne, a specialistin LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging). Airplanes with LIDAR use high resolutionlasers to map minor fluctuations in the terrainelevation.

New York City had just flown a LIDAR digitalelevation model (DEM) for the whole city in2010. This model has a vertical accuracy of aquarter inch. This previously unheard of accu-racy allows for minor topographic fluctuationsto be highlighted and to pick up clues to slightmounding or depressions on otherwise seem-ingly flat surfaces.

Preliminary tests using the LIDAR data showsan unusual one inch fluctuation in the eleva-tion of the concrete slab - hinting at either subsurface colonial building foundations, burialtrenches or sloppy concrete work.

21

The LIDAR micro-topography model flown by the City gives cluesto the archaeological history the 170 8th Street lot by mappingminor height fluctuations on the cement slab. A pattern ofmounds and depressions appears, which may just be old buildingfootings or sloppy concrete work. Their scale and proportionseerily resemble cobble covered tombs. The mounds roughlyfollow the “magnetic north” grave orientation of early Christianburial layouts. This layout also matches the Wildhack descriptionin the 1956 Archaeology report, accounting for Marylander Hill’scurvature as shown on the Sproule Map.

The questions of what lies under the concrete slab shouldbe resolved by a subsurface archaeological investigation.

ONE INCH TOPOGRAPHIC MAP OF MARYLANDER HILL SITEusing 2010 LIDAR high resolution digital elevation model data.A Gowanus Canal Conservancy “Over My Dead Body” Balloon Aerial allows you to compare the scale of a human body with unusual bumps.

2012 LIDARSTUDYbyJarlath O’Neill Dunneand Eymund Diegel

FIELD VERIFIED: “bump” pattern was measured onsite and found to be accurate

0 20 ft

22

This site is a unique opportunity for State and Cityauthorities to restore a commemorative site honor-ing veterans of America’s 1776 War of Independ-ence and at the same time meet the open spaceand environmental needs of the growing ParkSlope, Sunset Park and Gowanus residentialneighborhoods. As per 2010 Census, 8965 peoplelived within a 1000 feet of the Marylander site.

The New York City Planning Standards outlined inthe 2010 City Environmental Quality Review Tech-nical Manual encourage a standard of 2.5 acres ofopen space within half a mile for every 1000 resi-dents.

In 2010, 30,476 people live within half a mile ofthe Marylander site and around 4600 students.

City standards call for them to have 76 acres ofopen space. As of 2012, those residents only hadaccess to 6.57 acres.

MORE PEOPLE WILL LIVE HEREWithin the Marylander sites half mile radius, theCity has upzoned the density for 4th Avenue, withmultiple apartment buildings under construction.The Gowanus Canal waterfront has 1400 new res-idential units planned. With the new hotel rezon-ings, Gowanus is now a tourism destination, whichcan be enhanced by developing the areas histori-cal assets.

Because of the residential upzoning, the Cityneeds to provide more open space for newresidents

2010 Population Density within half a mile of proposed Marylander site showing lack of open space

CURRENT NEED FOR NEW OPEN SPACE FOR EXISTING AND PROJECTED RESIDENTS

Amount of Open Space per Resident that CEQR CityGuidelines call for:100 square feet per person

WHAT OTHER ARGUMENTS ARE THERE FOR COMMEMORATING THE SITE AS A PARK ?

What residents currently have access to:10 square feet per person

GOWANUS REZONING1400+ new housing unitsby 2020

4TH AVE REZONING:MORE PEOPLE

9TH ST3R

D AVE

REV

ITALIZ

ATIO

N

23

In August 2013 the first phase of the GowanusCanal Conservancy’s plan for a network ofgreen spaces to protect the water quality of theCanal was approved. The Sponge Park Planby dlandstudio is part of a broader vision forthe watershed looking at ways sustainableopen space practices can enhance the neigh-borhood’s livability.

The Old Stone House’s pioneering work in pro-moting a walking guide to the watershed’s his-torical assets would be reinforced by acoherent watershed plan designing the City’shistory into an integrated storm water andrecreational greenway system.

This Revolutionary Greenway Heritage Trailwould tie the past to its promising future.

Marylander Green would be a prototype forestablishing New York City as the center forAmerica’s Revolution and innovative practicesto meet growing environmental challenges.

EXISTING OPEN SPACE PROPOSALS

THE NEW PARK WOULD BE PART OF THE BROADER REVITALIZATION OF THE WATERSHED

2013 - Mayor Bloomberg at the unveiling of new Gowanus CanalFlushing Tunnel infrastructure as part of the first steps needed tomeet the watershed’s environmental restoration goals.

Sher

rell D

orse

y, 20

13

24

2012 - Ate Atema Architects “Street Creek” Concept - a sustainable technique for reducing Gowanus sewer overflows andimproving livability of New York City streets by integrating street landscapes and water sensitive urban design new parks.

IT COULD HELP CITY MEET FEDERALLY MANDATED POLLUTION REDUCTION GOALS

NINTH STR

EET

THIRD AVE8TH STR

EET

The concrete paving currently on the proposed Marylander Green Community Park site causes an estimated63,000 gallons of raw sewage overflows into the Gowanus Canal every year. * The proposed Marylander Park would be a flagship site for testing new on site stormwater management techniques forCity Parks to help develop more sustainable landscapes and reduce water pollution impacts.

* based on 13,500 ft2 of paving x 4.7 gallons per square foot of annual diluted sewage overflows at CSO OH 007. Overflow data based on 2008 NYCDEP models submitted for the Gowanus Canal 2011 Superfund Remedial Investigation (source: http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/gowanus/ri_docs.html)

BETTER STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

LESS SEWER OVERFLOWS

25

As part of the 2013 Gowanus Watershed Plan, underdevelopment, rainwater flows that cause sewage pollutionare being modeled. Because many of the City’s play-grounds were built on damp land and buried streams,there is an opportunity to install rainwater catchment cis-terns under City parks and playgrounds, Children playingon merry-go-round pumps would bring the water back outto Green Streets after the storm. Though potentially re-stricted by burial sites, the proposed Marylander Park sitehas an excellent watershed catchment area. Cheaperrain tanks would avoid more expensive federally man-dated sewer tanks in the Gowanus flood zone.

Play Pump Watershed PlanShould the Marylander Sitebe found to have no archaeo-logical remains, it would be aprime site for implementingfederally mandated cleanwater goals required by the2013 Gowanus Canal Superfund Cleanup Plan

MATCHING AMERICA’S AMBITIONSThe Gowanus Canal Conservancy has been leading wa-tershed planning efforts to explore ideas for improving theBrooklyn’s waterfronts environmental health. This includesstudying techniques for diverting rainwater out of thestreets overloaded sewer systems, and back to more “nat-ural” water sensitive urban designs. This includes RainGardens, Bioswales, Play Pump parks and “street creeks”.As part of an independent inventory by Eymund Diegel ofopen space sites suitable for new community parks andstormwater studies, the Marylander Park was identifiedas a key open space water management site.

26

The Battle of Brooklyn Gowanus Canal Revolutionary Trail & Greenway 2013 Concept by Edward Mazzer, Venice, Italy

CREATING VISIONS OF THE FUTUREGowanus by Design, a planning group, and ProteusGowanus, a cultural arts group, have made design andplanning resources available for students and profession-als exploring design ideas for the Gowanus watershed.

This has resulted in a whole library and archive of innova-tive thinking about where new community open spaceamenities should go, and what forms they should take.

Masters student Edward Mazzer of Architectural Instituteof the University of Venice, Italy did a study of the Hall of

MMAARRYYLLAANNDDEERRGGRREEEENN

OOLLDDSSTTOONNEEHHOOUUSSEE

PPOOWWEERRHHOOUUSSEEEENNVVIIRROONNMMEENNTTAALLAARRTTSS CCEENNTTEERR

GGOOWWAANNUUSSCCAANNAALL

2013

plan

ning

conc

ept b

y Edw

ard

Maz

zer

1

2

3

WWHHOOLLEEFFOOOODDSSPPAARRKK

the Gowanus resources and proposed these logical connec-tions between the Gowanus 1776 Battle of Brooklyn sites.

He was focused on creating logical flows of water across thelandscape and designed “flood parks” that would help re-duce the impact of future climate change. The flow of waterlargely mimics the movements of soldiers in 1776. WholeFoods now draws hundreds of cars, creating increasing traf-fic safety issues for walking school children and bicyclists.The pedestrian greenway concepts should open up commu-nity debate on a more livable neighborhood. The MarylanderGreen Community Park would be a step in that direction.

27

2013 Marylander Memorial Concept, by Edward Mazzer

1

WHAT FORM SHOULD THE PARK TAKE ?

Edward Mazzer of Architectural Institute of the Universityof Venice, Italy is proposing a traditional memorial, an enclosed place of silence and reflection.

Others may feel that the space should be one focused onthe rich layers of industrial history that have washed overthe site. Those with children may want it to be a place ofplay and life, reshaped to meet community needs.

A PLACE OF CONTEMPLATIONThe Vietnam War Memorial and lawn in Washington DC, designed by Maya Lin

2013

plan

ning

conc

ept b

y Edw

ard

Maz

zer

2009

, Sus

anne

Am

bühle

r-Hau

enste

in

The final design would be determined by an InternationalDesign Competition, with the brief written up through a community participatory design process.

A PLACE OF LIFE Children playing on "Fat Man"the nuclear bomb which exploded in Nagasaki. Trinity Test Site Park, Alamogardo desert, New Mexico

1992

, Ren

e Bu

rri, M

agnu

m

Perspective view from 9th Street Perspective view from 8th Street

Plan View View from inside Marylander Memorial

28

DREAMING BIG: LOOKING AT THE PAST AND PLANNING A BETTER FUTURE

In 1933, When the remnants of the 1699 Vechte / Cortelyou were ex-cavated, no one thought the Old Stone House would one day becomea leading center for the cultural revival of Brooklyn and a key openspace amenity.

In 2012, no one thought that there would ever be a waterfront esplanade on the Gowanus Canal Superfund Site, with coffee tablesserving gourmet locavore food.That is now a reality.

The best way to honor the sacrifices of the first soldiers who foughtand died for the American Revolution is to carry on their ambitions ofmaking their home a better place for their descendants.

May 4 1933 Excavation of the Old StoneHouse from under 25 feet of landfill(Bettman / Corbis archives)

2014 Street Creek Study for WashingtonPark to the Gowanus Canal to the 5thStreet Basin via 3rd Street and 5th Street

June 8 2013 view of Conservancy balloon mappers next tothe under construction Whole Foods park and the proposed reconstructed Vechte’s Marsh wetlands

2 OLD STONE HOUSE / FIFTH STREET BASIN GREENWAY

29

The Battle of Long Island at Denton’s Mill, 27 August 1776, painted in 1858 by Alonzo ChappelThe footprint of the tidal mill sits directly in the Gowanus Canal First Street Basin, part of the Superfund Site being restored by theUnited States Environmental Protection Agency. The First Street Basin site is being studied by Superfund Plan’s Community AdvisoryGroup for redevelopment as a Community Ecological Park and Water Education Center for local schools. It could include a reconstruc-tion of the historical tidal mill. It would be part of a Gowanus Bicycle Shweeb connected network of Community Resources, from theHall of the Gowanus (Brouwers Mill at Union St), to the Old Stone House at Third Street and the Marylander Green Center at Third Ave.

ANOTHER FIRE: “The ancient mill which stood beside the oldpenny bridge, opposite Fisherman's Hall, and known as"Freek's Mill", was last night burned down. For a number of years past nothing has beendone by this mill, and it stood on the edge ofthe creek a crazy old skeleton, lookinglike a melancholy relic of olden times;and looking down at its decaying fea-tures reflected in the waters of thecreek, as if it had half a notion todrown itself.

Some person, however, set it onfire last night, unless like thePhoenix, it collected a few straybeams of sunshine in theevening to light it's own funeralpyre, and expired in the aromaticflames. Peace to its ashes. Its lifenot being insured, it has left Mssrs.Brady and Fish to bewail its fate.

The fire caused quite an illumination, andmust have astonished the eels and crabs inthe old creek - although we have not heard thatany of the former were "frightened out of their skins."

THE PHOENIX RISINGBrooklyn Eagle, April 4 1851

“The old creek's banks have been sheathed with concrete and itswaters are under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government. It is an

urban cesspool which local residents sometimes call, inthe blackest of humor, “Lavender Lake”.

Men fought and died here as part of ourAmerican Revolution.

To date, we have honored them withour sewage.

We can as a nation do better thanthat and I sincerely hope that thissubcommittee will give serious con-sideration to including at least a fewhundred acres of land around the

former creek bed in the Gateway National Recreational Area”

John H. Lindenbush, executive director,Long Island Historical Society, 1972

at the Hearings before the Subcommittee onNational Parks and Recreation of the Committee

on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representa-tives 92nd Congress, First Session on H.R. 1370 and H.R.

1121 and Related Bills (1972, p. 160) as quoted in Nevins StreetStage Archaeological Survey (Red Hook Water Pollution Control Project, Brooklyn, NY) by Ralph S. Solecki, Phd, May 10 1977

3

FIRST STREET BASIN MEMORIAL WATER PARK & EDUCATION CENTER

POWERHOUSE ENVIRONMENTAL ARTS CENTER

POWERHOUSE

POWERHOUSE

ENVIRONMENTAL

ENVIRONMENTAL

ARTS CENTER

ARTS CENTER

30

Pensive on Her Dead Gazingby Walt Whitman (1819-1892)

Pensive on her dead gazing I heard the Mother of All,Desperate on the torn bodies, on the forms covering the battlefields gazing,

(As the last gun ceased, but the scent of the powder-smoke linger'd,)As she call'd to her earth with mournful voice while she stalk'd,Absorb them well O my earth, she cried, I charge you lose not mysons, lose not an atom,

And you streams absorb them well, taking their dear blood,And you local spots, and you airs that swim above lightly impalpable,And all you essences of soil and growth, and you my rivers' depths,And you mountain sides, and the woods where my dear children'sblood trickling redden'd,

And you trees down in your roots to bequeath to all future trees,My dead absorb or South or North--my young men's bodies absorb,and their precious precious blood,Which holding in trust for me faithfully back again give me many ayear hence,

In unseen essence and odor of surface and grass, centuries hence,In blowing airs from the fields back again give me my darlings, givemy immortal heroes,

Exhale me them centuries hence, breathe me their breath, let not anatom be lost,

O years and graves! O air and soil! O my dead, an aroma sweet!Exhale them perennial sweet death, years, centuries hence.

31

It is entirely possible that ground penetratingradar and archaeological excavations of theMarylander site find nothing.

However, as the sole remaining ground thathas remained unchanged from the ravages ofhill cutting and valley filling, the new Park siteshould then remain as a symbol of the constancy of memory – that the soldierswho gave their life for America mattered.

Old and New - The Connection Fred Plaut, 1955 “The Family of Man” The Museum of Modern Art, New York

32

Balloon Observation from the childrens book“Rambles in Lands of Fact and Fancy”, by Frank R Stockton, 1910

Public Lab provides Citizen Technology to makelocal ideas come true.

To find out more how Public Lab can supportyour community project visit:www.publiclab.org

The Marylander Memorial Committee of theBrooklyn Preservation Council is made up ofBob Furman, Holly Fuchs, Kathryn Krase, Eymund Diegel and Buddy Salvatore Scotto.

Research work and advice that went into thisproposal stemmed from many invaluablecommunity resources, in particular:

The Old Stone Housewww.theoldstonehouse.org

Proteus Gowanushttp://proteusgowanus.org/

The Gowanus Canal Conservancywww.gowanuscanalconservancy.org

33

A detailed cost estimate is outside of the scope of thisproposal and would be prepared by qualified propertyassessors, park planners and the property owners oncefurther Federal State and City support for the MemorialPark Planning Commission has developed. Approximatefigures given here are for general discussion only. Forthe purposes of cost estimates, two Park development sce-narios are being studied. The Memorial Park Scenario Oneis the immediate one being proposed for funding.

MEMORIAL PARK SCENARIO ONE: Acquisition ofthe vacant 170 8th Street 13,500 feet square (ft2) vacantlot, the site with the most archaeological and commemora-tive potential.LAND ACQUISITIONAt $350 per ft2, the 170 8th Street lot’s land acquisitioncosts is estimated at around $4.75 million.

SITE INVESTIGATIONSTo establish the archaeological value of the site, it will benecessary to clear it of it’s cement covering.Site clearing:This will cost around $50,000 for concrete removal. As thesite’s eventual park plan would conform to LEED sustain-ability development standards, this cost would be lower asremoved concrete slabs would be stored on site for even-tual reusing in park landforming. This would also protect thearchaeological site during incremental investigation. Finalcosts will be a function of contractor bids.Archaeological investigations:Preliminary site survey estimate: $50,000This would include the hiring of a professional team ofarchaeologists to do a preliminary excavation survey. Seethe Appendix for the typical tasks that would be covered.Expanded archaeological costs and further studies wouldbe a function of the preliminary survey findings. If no mili-tary relics are found, for example, if graves have been relo-cated, or if cemetery is a colonial one of early farmers andslaves, then the site would become a Battle of Brooklynpark on a purely commemorative basis. The Memorial ParkScenario One including new Park construction is estimatedto cost around $6.5 million. (see Appendix for details)

HYPOTHETICAL MUSEUM SCENARIO TWO: If the Archaeological Investigation finds the Marylandergraves, then an expanded park will be considered. Workingwith the America Legion directives, a discussion would be

started on the future role of the Veterans parking lot andthe 203 9th Street lot. The focus would be on their po-tential archaeological value as further grave reposito-ries, and how these sites could support operations parkoperations, such as accommodating school tour groupsand a future museum. This hypothetical land scenariocould totals 20,485 square feet (ft2) or $7.2 million inland costs, and would be coordinated with existing Bat-tle of Brooklyn exhibits at the Old Stone House.

Gowanus land values have been climbing, ranging from$350 per ft2 to $550 for vacant lots and abandoned in-dustrial spaces. The 170 8th Street lot has been aban-doned for decades, and being a former chemical factorysite and with it’s reputation as a sensitive archaeologi-cal site it faces development restrictions.

PARK COSTSThe High Line, currently one of the most expensive andsuccessful urban parks in New York is 296,000 ft2 andcost $172 million, or $580 per ft2. Marylander GreenPark, if designed to a similar level, would cost $12 mil-lion. In contrast, the price for the recently approved15,000 ft2 Second Street Gowanus Sponge Park is$1.5 million or $100 per ft2. This would put the 20,000ft2 Marylander Green Park construction costs in the$1.5 to 2 million range. Final costs would be a func-tion of the design competition proposal and what Fed-eral, State, City and community stakeholders decide isappropriate to commemorate America’s First Veterans.These stakeholders would set up a Planning Commis-sion who would develop detailed planning and Park de-velopment contracts. This Commission would requireadditional funding as a percentage of the final park cost.

COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP SCENARIOAssuming Federal, State or City acquisition of the site,an immediate alternate scenario would be to work withexisting local community stewards such as theGowanus Canal Conservancy and the Old StoneHouse to preserve the site and develop the site as aninterim open space within the much lower cost param-eters of the City’s Citizen’s Participatory Budget system. This would protect the site from imminent redevelop-ment threats and allow a phased and incremental me-morial park and education space, meeting budgetconstraints and community needs.

1776 “Tobacco” currency used to pay Continental Army Soldiers from Georgia Fraser’s 1909 “The Old Stone House”2012 “Available” Sign for 170 8th Street from the Gowanus Canal Conservancy “Over My Dead Body” Expedition

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST ? PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE: $ 6.5 MILLION

Appendix 1a - 2013 Draft Budget for the Marylander Green Memorial Park

34

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT BUDGET: MARYLANDER MEMORIAL PARK

Costs: Preliminary Rough Estimate: $ 6.5 Million

1. Land Acquisition: 13,500 Sq. ft.170 Eighth Street (191-201 Ninth Street)based on prevailing area rates of $350/sq.ft) (1)

$4,750.000

2. Archaeological Study (2) $47,400

3. Concrete Removal $50,0004. Construction Costs (3) $1,350,000NYS/NYC5. Overhead Charge (@ 20%) (4) $280,000

Total $6,477,400

Total New York State / NYC Costs $1,727.400

Footnotes

1. Additional property may be added.

2. Preliminary examination. Courtesy of Chrysalis Ar-chaeology. Discovery of human remains will require anadditional complex study along with decisions aboutdisposition and possible relocation.

3. Estimated at $100.00/sq.ft. as per 2nd Street SpongePark construction costs.

4. Rough budget estimate for a Marylander Park Planning Commission made up of stakeholders fordesign, planning and construction management

Projected Funding Source:

Commonwealth of Maryland

New York City / New York State

New York City / New York StateNew York City / New York State

New York City / New York State

Maryland / NYS / NYC

New York City / New York State

Appendix 1b - 2013 Draft Budget for the Marylander Green Memorial Park

35

PROPOSED PARK SITE LOT DESCRIPTIONS & POTENTIAL FUTURE STUDY SITES

Based on the latest historical findings, the proposedMarylander Park and archaeological site will be madeup of one key parcels and a potentially 2 other futurestudy parcels:

PRINCIPAL PARCEL UNDER CONSIDERATION

Site 1: The Marylander Hill Park Site

170 8th Street, Brooklyn Brooklyn Block 1003 Lot 11

alternate addresses: 197 to 201 9th Street.

Size:13,500 feet square, 75 feet x 180 feet vacant lot

Ownership: Derby Textile Corp / the Fried Family

Estimated NYC Dept of Finance land value : $1,620,000Estimated market value: $4,750,000

Former Use: Knitting Mill, Chemical Factory, CemeteryZoning: Residential Vacant Land R6A, R6B

Proposed Use: Memorial Park and playground

Depending on results of archaeological survey, two othersites have been flagged for being of potential historicaland logistical interest.

Any proposals developed for these sites would beentirely driven by the current property owners’ interests.

Study Area Site 2

193 9th Street, Brooklyn

Brooklyn Block 1003 Lot 64

American Legion / Rawley Veterans Post 1636 ParkingLot

Size:Total for Veterans lot: 40.75 x 180 feet, or 7335 ft 2,4278 ft 2 for parking lot (40.75 x 105 feet)

Ownership: MA Rawley Junior Veterans Post

Estimated Value: $919,671 (NYCDOF), lot plus building)(not market value)

Study Area Site 2 (continued)

Former Use: Church, Cemetery

Zoning: Commercial, C2-4

Reason for interest:Should archaeological study of Site 1 find RevolutionaryWar burial relics, study of historical maps indicate possi-bility that graves as described by Wildhack sketchescould have extended across Veterans Parking Lot. Sucharchaeological findings would also trigger further sitestudies of lots on opposite side of 9th street near sub-way bridge, based on studies by William J. Parry.

Proposed Use under study:To be determined. Currently parking for Veterans Post. IfPark is developed, discussions and study would be initi-ated with current owners as to how they would like theirexisting commemorative structures to be integrated withthe new Park design. This could include redesign of lotto facilitate periodic school bus access for student tourgroups and commemorative activities.

Study Area Site 3

203 9th Street, Brooklyn

Brooklyn Block 1003 Lot 59,

A one story 4,545 industrial building (50.5 x 90 ft)

Ownership: 203 9th Street Associates

Current Use: Parking Zoning: R6A

Estimated NYC Dept of Finance land value : $1,000,878(not market value)

Reason for interest:Park Maintenance support facility, Museum, IndustrialHistory or Cultural Community Center, potentially ar-chaeologically sensitive site.

Proposed Use under study: Environmental Stewardship Center for local groups suchas the Gowanus Canal Conservancy, Gowanus Allianceand other local community groups as part of MarylanderPark Maintenance Plan. Note: This parcel was recentlysold in late 2013, and may now be unvailable. Thisunderscores the urgency of this preservation effort.

Appendix 1c - 2013 Draft Property Parcels being studied for the Marylander Green Memorial Park

36

COMPETING USES FOR THE SITE.In 2012 the New School Construction Authority consideredthe site for a school for Park Slope’s growing student popu-lation. It retained TRC Senior Project Manager CharlesGuder to do soil borings on the site and it retained Eliza-beth Meade of AKRF Archaeological Consultants to reviewthe historical significance of the site. Based on reviewingthe soil borings, sampling less than one square foot of thesite’s soils, as survey was designed for a hazardous materi-als assessment, not an archaeological study, AKRF foundno archaeological evidence of burials. (see appendix fordetails)

Because of it’s proximity to the desirable Park Slope neigh-borhood, and it’s strategic location between the 4th Avenueresidential densification corridor and the emergingGowanus Third Avenue entertainment and restaurant dis-trict, the site is a prime candidate for high density residen-tial development.

OWNERS:Derby Textile Corp / the Fried Family / William Fried, President - 1 718 628 6300(for “Marylander Site” 170 8th Street, Brooklyn, alternateaddresses: 197 to 201 9th St. Brooklyn Block 1003 Lot 11)

FUNDING SOURCESIf an archaeological investigation finds the site to hold re-mains of Battle of Brooklyn soldiers, it would legally be-come a federal military cemetery.

American Missing Soldiers FundThe Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) is re-sponsible for recovering and preserving the remains ofAmerica’s soldiers. Though focused on more recent wars, ithas dealt with Civil War and Revolutionary War remains. AsAmerica’s First Federal Military Cemetery, the site warrantsspecial consideration.

American Battlefields Protection ProgramThis National Park Service program supports projects thatprotect battlefields and sites associated with battle fields,but does not fund land acquisition or capital improvementprojects. In 2011, Senator Charles E. Schumer promotedUnited States legislation S.916 to promote the purchase ofthreatened Continental Army sites in New York State.

Maryland Historic TrustAs most of the soldiers interred at the proposed Park sitewere from the Maryland Regiment, State of Maryland Gov-ernor Martin O’Malley has written a letter offering supportfor proper commemoration of the Marylander’s role in theAmerican Revolution.

New York State Council for the Artssupports the Old Stone House commemoration pro-grams and the expansion of their cultural activities.

New York City Dept. of Environmental ProtectionGreen Infrastructure PlanUnder the Environmental Protection Agency’s GowanusCanal Superfund Cleanup Program the City of NewYork is being asked to provide $78 million in necessarysewer tank infrastructure improvements to prevent toxicoverflows to the Canal. The City is challenging that de-cision. The City’s Green Infrastructure Plan is beingpresented as a more sustainable opportunity, openingthe possibility of integrating Marylander Park with alower cost system of better storm water managementfor the upslope sections of the Gowanus watershed.

New York City Dept of Park’s & Recreation / CityParks Foundation PartnersNew York City has teamed up with community organiza-tions to improve open spaces for New Yorkers. Both theTrust for Public Land and the New York RestorationProject have funded open space improvements in theGowanus Watershed.

New York City Dept of Cultural Affairsis the largest cultural funding agency in the nation, andsupports Battle of Brooklyn commemoration events andprograms.

Brooklyn Arts Councilsupports Arts and Media related to history and culturaloutreach

Private and Corporate DonorsA number of private and community groups havestepped forward to support open space and commemo-rative projects in the Watershed

Brooklyn Community Foundation Green Communi-ties Fund has funded the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative.

Powerhouse Environmental Arts Foundationrecently acquired the Dentons Mill site, another suspected Revolutionary War soldier burial ground, adjacent to the First Street Gowanus Canal Basin.

Appendix 2 - Potential Financial Stakeholders

37

STAKEHOLDERS & COMMUNITY DIRECTORYBelow are people or organizations who have worked onMarylander Park research or have contributed to our discus-sion of Brooklyn cultural arts and open space issues. Theirname here in no way implies support of this proposaland are purely contacts for people seeking further commentand research discussion. This list is in no ways complete,and is being continously expanded as part of the MarylanderMemorial Committee’s outreach efforts. You can contact BobFurman - bobfurman1@juno.com or Eymund Diegeleymund@gmail.com to be added to this outreach directoryand be notified of plan developments.

ARCHAEOLOGISTSChrysalis Archaeology - www.chrysalisarchaeology.comChris Ricciardi -cricciardi@chrysalisarchaeology.comAlyssa Loorya - aloorya@chrysalisarchaeology.com- did Marylander Research for FROGG in 2012

AKRF Cultural Resources - www.akrf.comElizabeth Meade - emeade@akrf.com- Marylander Research for School Construction Authority in 2013

Hunter Research - www.hunterresearch.comPatrick Harshbarger - pharshbarger@hunterresearch.com- did Marylander Research for the US Environmental ProtectionAgency in 2012

US Army Corps of EngineersLynn Rakos - lrakos@hotmail.com , RCSIAprez@aol.com- has done research on historically sensitive sites around theGowanus Canal

Brooklyn College - Anthropology & ArchaeologyArthur Bankoff - abankoff brooklyn.cuny.edu- did Marylander Research on 8th Street site area in 1998

New York City Landmarks Preservation CommissionAmanda Sutphin, Director of Archaeologyasutphin@lpc.nyc.gov - reviews and promotes historical and archaeological research onGowanus watershed development projects

Hunter College Anthropology DepartmentWilliam J Parry - wparry@hunter.cuny.edu- does Battle of Brooklyn research with the Old Stone House, andsouthern 10th Street sections of Marylander Hill.

Brooklyn Borough HistorianRon Schweiger - bklynremembered@aol.com

HISTORICAL RESEARCH GROUPS

Brooklyn Historical Society- maintain archival resources and organize events on Brooklyn his-toryJacob Nadal - jnadal@brooklynhistory.orgJim Rossman - jimrossman@nyc.rr.comBill Coleman - wrcoleman@gmail.com,

The Old Stone Housewww.theoldstonehouse.org- organize archives and events related to the Battle of Brooklynand Marylander commemorationKim Maier - oldstonehouse@verizon.netPeter Joseph - peterljoseph@gmail.comWilliam Parry - wparry@hunter.cuny.eduProteus Gowanushttp://proteusgowanus.org/- organize Battle of Brooklyn themed art events and run the Hallof the Gowanus, a community digital historical resource archiveinfo@proteusgowanus.orgSasha Chavchavadze - sashachav@gmail.comAngela Kramer - krangela64@gmail.comTamara Pittman - tamarappittman@gmail.comEymund Diegel - eymund@gmail.com

Friends and Residents of Greater Gowanus (FROGG)http://froggbrooklyn.org/- works to protect its industrial heritage and support its innova-tive and creative future. Recently completed a major industrialand historical values study of the Gowanus.Marlene Donnely - studio460@msn.comLinda Mariano - joeandlinda393@aol.com

Brooklyn Preservation Councilpromotes Brooklyn historical commemoration and preservation.Bob Furman, President - bobfurman1@hotmail.comBuddy Scotto, Board Chair - livery2000@aol.comEymund Diegel - eymund@gmail.comHolly Fuchs - fuchs@hotmail.comKathryn Krase, Katkrase@aol.com

Global Gazetteer of the American Revolutionhttp://gaz.jrshelby.com/- collects and archives research material pertaining to the Battleof Brooklyn and the American RevolutionJohn Robertson - rwmapper@gmail.com

Joseph Alexiou - joseph.alexiou@gmail.comhttp://www.josephalexiou.com/- writing book on history of the Gowanus Canal

COMMUNITY GROUPS Gowanus Canal Conservancywww.gowanuscanalconservancy.orgThe Conservancy facilitates the environmental health of theGowanus Canal and its watershed by serving as a trusted re-source and guiding the vision and transformation of the water-shed with respect for the history of the community.Hans Hesselein - hans@gowanuscanalconservancy.orgAndy Simons - andy@gowanuscanalconservancy.org

Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporationwww.gowanus.orgBill Appel – Executive Director bill@gowanus.orgJoseph Messineo – Board Chairman, 718-858-0557

Gowanus Alliance www.gowanusalliance.org- Local property owners and businesses promoting the en-hancement and development of the Gowanus Neighborhood, in-cluding the improvements of it’s open spaces, in particular EnnisPlayground.Paul Basile - gowanusalliance@gmail.com

Appendix 3 - Potential Community Stakeholders

38

Gowanus By Designwww.gowanusbydesign.comGowanus by Design is a community-based non-profit urban designadvocacy. Working with the area’s stakeholders Gbd organizes de-sign competitions to visualize the areas potential. David Briggs - dbriggs@gowanusbydesign.comAnthony Deen - Adeen@gowanusbydesign.comEymund Diegel - eymund@gmail.com

Friends of Sunset Parkhttp://friendsofsunsetpark-brooklyn.blogspot.com- promotes neighborhood quality of life issues in Sunset ParkMaria Roca - friendsofsunsetpark@yahoo.com United Puerto Rican Organization of Sunset Park - UPROSEwww.uprose.orgElizabeth Yeampierre - Info@UPROSE.org

Park Slope Neighborswww.parkslopeneighbors.org- A neighborhood organization committed to the protection and en-hancement of quality of life in Park Slope, BrooklynEric McClure - eric@parkslopeneighbors.org

8th Street Block AssociationAssociation of residents and merchants on Eighth Street betweenThird and Fourth AvenueJulius Lang - - juliuslang@gmail.comGowanus 8th Street Block AssociationAssociation of residents and merchants on Eighth Street betweenThird and Second Avenue Kathryn Krase, Katkrase@aol.com

American Legion Rawley Veterans Post 1636Veterans Post adjacent to the Marylander Burial GroundMichael Gandia, Post CommanderPhilip J Dugan - (718) 788-3499Peter de Angelis - pjdeangelis@gmail.comPrisco de Angelis - priscopete@live,com

MEDIA WHO COVER GOWANUS HISTORY ISSUES

Print MediaGary Buiso - GBuiso@nypost.com- NY Post writer writing on MarylandersB’klyn hunt for sprit of 1776 soldiers - 2012Justin Burke - jburke@sorosny.org- NY Times writer and Gowanus resident covering Battle of Brook-lyn eventsSeeking Brooklyn’s Lost Mass Grave - 2012

Film makersMadeline Gordon - mrgordon88@gmail.com Philip Shane - drhundertwasser@mac.com- doing ongoing documentary on Marylanders and communityefforts to find them.Matt Koed - bdkpictures@yahoo.com- documentary film maker interested in doing Marylander Ar-chaeology documentary as dig develops.

BloggersKatia Kelly - pardonmeinbrooklyn@gmail.com- Pardon Me For Asking blog which covers neighborhood his-tory issues Benjamin Aufill - GowanusYourFaceOff@gmail.com- Gowanus Your Face Off blog, which has covered MarylanderBurial Ground developmentsThe Dead May Have Been Awoken - 2012

Appendix 3 - Potential Community Stakeholders (continued)

39

POLITICAL STAKEHOLDERSThe proposed Marylander Green Memorial Park is in:Brooklyn Community District 306 Craig HammermanCity Council District 39 Brad LanderNY Assembly District 51 Felix W. OrtizNY Senate District 25 Velmanette MontgomeryCongressional 12th District Nydia Margarita VelázquezUS Senate 20th District Chuck Schumer

BrooklynCraig Hammerman, Brooklyn Community Board 6districtmanager@brooklyncb6.orgJerry Armer, CB6 contact on Archaeology issues at SuperfundCommunity Advisory Group - jjarmer@yahoo.comKevin Jeffrey, Brooklyn Parks Commissioner kevin.jeffrey@parks.nyc.govMarty Markowitz, Brooklyn Borough Presidentmarty@brooklynbp.nyc.govElizabeth Koch, Borough Arts & Cultureekoch@brooklynbp.nyc.gov

New York CityBill de Blasio, Mayorinfo@billdeblasio.comMichael Bloomberg, Mayor (until 12, 31, 2013)mbloomberg@cityhall.nyc.govChristine Quinn, NYC Council Speaker (until 12, 31, 2013)cquinn@council.nyc.gov

City CouncilmembersSarah M. Gonzáles, District 38 Councilperson (until 12, 31, 2013)sgonzalez@council.nyc.gov(note as of January 2013, District 38 administrative boundarieswere shifted to exclude the proposed Marylander Green site) Stephen T. Levin, District 33 CouncilpersonSLevin@council.nyc.govLisa Bloodgood, Levin Community Liasondistrict33pb@gmail.comBrad Lander, District 39 Councilperson456 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11215, 718-499-1090CLander@council.nyc.gov(note as of January 2013, District 39 administrative boundarieswere shifted to include the proposed Marylander Green site) Jonah Blumstein, Lander Community Liaisonjblumstein@council.nyc.gov

City StakeholdersVeronica White, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation Commissioner veronicawhite@parks.nyc.govCarter Strickland, New York City Department of Environmental Protection Commissionercstrickland@dep.nyc.gov

State StakeholdersGary Kline, NYSDEC, Water, NYC Municipal Compliance gekline@gw.dec.state.ny.usFelix W. Ortiz, New York State Assemblyperson (51)ortizf@assembly.state.ny.usJoan Millman, New York State Assemblyperson (52)3 4 1 Sm i t h Street, Brooklyn, NYmillmaj@assembly.state.ny.usAnne Strahle, Millman Chief of Staff ,Strahlea@assembly.state.ny.us, 718- 246- 4889

New York StateAndrew Cuomo, GovernorExecutive Chamber, Albany, N.Y. 12227633 Third Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017Greg Smiley, Regional Representative, 212-681-4566Greg.smiley@exec.ny.gov.Marty Golden, New York State Senator (22)403 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11209, 718-238-6044,golden@nysenate.govAnthony Testaverde, staff Testaver@nyssenate.govEric Adams, New York State Senator (20) (until 12, 31, 2013)1669 Bedford Avenue, 2nd Floor, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11225718-284-4700,eadams@senate.state.ny.usKevin S. Parker ,New York State Senator (21)parker@senate.state.ny.usVelmanette Montgomery, New York State Senator (25)montgome@senate.state.ny.usDaniel L. Squadron, New York State Senator (26)squadron@senate.state.ny.usPhilip A. Perazio, New York State Div. for Historic PreservationPhilip.Perazio@oprhp.state.ny.usChristina B. Rieth, New York State Museumcrieth@mail.nysed.gov

State of MarylandMartin O’ Malley, Governor, State of Marylandhttp://www.governor.maryland.gov/mail/Charles Scheller, Special Assistant,Charles.Scheller@maryland.govJames A. Adkins, Major General. Adjutant General of Maryland National GuardJames.aadkins@comcast.net

US Federal AgenciesUnited States Environmental Protection AgencyChristos Tsiamis, Gowanus Canal Superfund Sitetsiamis.christos@epa.govNational Parks Service, Archaeology ProgramDCA@nps.govLee Tucker. Joint POW/MIA Accounting CommandPao_mail@jpac.pacom.mil

US SenateChuck Schumer (SD 20)780 Third Avenue, Ste. 2301, New York, N.Y. 10017,718-486-4430Nicholas_Martin@schumer.senate.govKirsten Gillibrand (SD 20)780 Third Avenue, Ste. 2601, New York, N.Y. 10017sam_cooper@Gillibrand.senate.gov

US CongressNydia Margarita Velázquez16 Court Street, Suite 1006, 718-222-5819Nydia.Velazquez@mail.house.govDan Wiley, Community LiasonDaniel.Wiley@mail.house.gov

Barack Hussein Obama www.whitehouse.gov/contactformer Park Slope resident, and descendent of the Wrightfamily, several of whose members participated in the Battle ofBrooklyn, and may be buried at the Marylander site.

Appendix 4 - Potential Political Community Stakeholders

40

ARCHIVES

Brooklyn Historical SocietyBattle of Long Island, Maryland soldiers memorial collection,1869 – 1957

Marylander Mass Grave Archive 2013John Robertson

BOOKS

Col. Atlee’s Journal of the Battle of Long Island, August26, 1776 by Samuel John. Atlee in the Pennsylvania Maga-zine of History and Biography, pp.509-516. 1879

The 1776 Battle Diaries of Joseph Plumb Martin1776 (via Marlene Donnelly of FROGG, 2013)

Revolutionary Incidents of Suffolk and King's County,Henry Onderdonk, 1849

A History of the City of Brooklyn by Henry R. Stiles, 1867

Historic and Antiquarian Scenes in Brooklyn, by TWFields 1868

The Battle of Long Island, with Connected PrecedingEvents, and the Subsequent American Retreat[Memoirs of the Long Island Historical Society, Vol.II], Brooklyn: Long Island Historical Society, 1869, Thomas W.Field.

The Campaign of 1776 Around NewYork and Brooklyn by Henry P. Johnston, Brooklyn, 1878

The Social History of Flatbush: Manners and Customs ofthe Dutch Settlers in Kings County by Gertrude LeffertsVanderbilt, 1881

The Old Stone Houseby Georgia Fraser, 1909

Brooklyn’s Neglected Battle Groundby Charles M. Higgins, 1910

The Wallabout Prison-Ships, 1776- 1783Armbruster, Eugene, 1920

Guide Book, to the Noted Places on Long Island, Histori-cal and otherwise by Armbruster, Eugene, (1925)

Historical Orientation Report for Archaeological Investigation, Marylanders’ Burial Site, Brooklyn, NewYork, by the U.S. National Parks Service 1956

The Maryland 400 at the Cortelyou House, Brooklyn;The Action and Burial Site, US National Park ServiceReport to Congress 21 May 1957

Nevins Street Archaeological Survey, by RalphSolecki, 1977

The Battle of Brooklyn, 1776by John J. Gallagher, Da Capo Press, 1995

Life at the Old Stone House: A History of a Farm andits Occupants by William Parry, Brooklyn, 2000

The Battle for New York: The City at the Heart of theAmerican Revolution by Barnet Schecter, 2002.

The Maryland 400 In The Battle Of Long Island, 1776 by Linda Davis Reno, McFarland Publishers, 2008

Forgotten Patriots: the Untold Story of AmericanPrisoners during the Revolutionary Warby Edwin G. Burrows, 2008

Gowanus Canal Corridor Rezoning Cultural Re-source Assessment, Louis Berger Group, 2009

The Battle of Brooklyn, August 27-29,1776A Walking Guide to Sites and Monumentsby The Old Stone House and Washington Park, 2012

Archaeological Sensitivity Study - Gowanus CanalUSEPA / Hunter Research, James Lee, Patrick Harsh-barger, Richard Hunter, 2012

The Marylander Burial Groundby Robert Furman, 2013

FILMS

The Brave Man, Directed by Joseph McCarthy, 2002Brave Man Curriculum Guide

Appendix 5 - Bibliography & Research References

41

REFERENCES (continued)

NEWSPAPER & WEB ARTICLES

The Battle of Brooklyn

The Most Forlorn Military Gravesite in the NationBaltimore Sun, Frank D. Roylance, 1886

Brooklyn's Unknown Soldiers: The Long, Uncertain Search for theMaryland DeadThe Phoenix, Robert E. Murphy,1998

1776 Graves Site Elusive In B'klynNew York Daily News, Robert Fisk, 1998

Fire Sparks Focus On Rebel War GravesNew York Daily News, Bob Liff, 1998

Washington Fought Here; Who Knew?; On 225th Anniversary, Battleof Brooklyn Is Little-Known ChapterNew York Times, Elliott Rebhun, 2001

Urban Environmentalist NYC: Slope-Gowanus Burial Ground Re-vealedBobgusskind.com Ruth Edebohls, 2008

Two Groups To Help Lay Historic TrailDaily News, Bill Farrell, 2012

A Precious Hour in American History - The Maryland 400 at Long Is-land, Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs, Tom Milmore, 2012

The British Invasion… Again: The Mystery Of The Missing Marylan-ders' GraveThe Awl, Robert Sullivan 2012

Ausgegraben - Neues aus der ArchäologieLooking For Brooklyn’s Lost Marylander GraveDer Spiegel, Angelika Franz, 2012 (in German)

La Bataille de Long IslandBattle of Long Island Toy solder simulation by the Bourg en BresseYouth History Games Club (in French and English)

Gli Inglesi Stanno Arrivando !(The British are Coming) Battle of Long Island wargame simulation(In Italian and English)

Without Gowanus There Would Be No AmericaJoseph Alexiou, TEDx 2014 Inspiring Community Event(video being posted soon)

LIDAR and Archaeological Mapping

LIDAR Technology:With Flyovers, a Solar Map of New YorkNew York Times, Mireya Navarro, 2012

Revolutionizing Archaeology: Flying Lasers Reveal Buried His-torical StructuresDer Spiegel, Markus Becker, 2012

Grassroots Mapping techniques for finding MarylanderGowanus Grave SitesEymund Diegel, GEONYC 2013 Meetup

42

SOLDIERS IN THE BATTLE OF BROOKLYN

This is only a partial list.

A comprehensive reviewof regimental records andcasualty lists will be partof the Marylander ParkMemorial Project

Maryland Soldiers at the Battleof Long Island, August 1776Courtesy Battle of Long IslandMemorial Committee

MARYLAND 400Major Mordecai Gist Com-manding

First CompanyJohn Hoskins Stone, CaptainDaniel Bowie, 1st Lt.John Kidd, 2nd Lt.James Ferandis, Sgt.John Mitchell, Sgt.Samuel Jones, Sgt.Charles Smith, Sgt.Thomas Simpson, CorporalWilliam Courts, CadetHenry Ridgely, CadetJames Sims, Sr., CorporalSamuel Hanson, CorporalSamuel McPherson, CorporalHenry Walworth, DrummerDennis Broderick, Fifer

PrivatesAndrew Ross LindsayAndrew Green SimsThmas NorrisIgnatius DoyglassWilliam SmootEdmund CoxWilliam WheatlyJohn BoenJohn HopsonJohn AdamsThosm. JWay ConnellJoseph CheathamJames ThompsonSamuel ThompsonJohn PlantThomas SmithJonathan ChunnGeorge ThomasJames Sims, Jer.Samuel WheatlyBernard NashJohn McPhersonClement EdelenPatrick Brady

Francis SherhardSamuel KurkFrancis Green BaggotCharles GreenCharles GriffinJohn WardRichard SheakeEdward EdelenSamuel HamiltonFranics Ware LuckettMatthew GarnerNathaniel DowiningJosias MillerJohn ShawEdward SmithJohn NorrisJoseph Jason JenkinsJames HogeJohn NealLuke Matthew SherburnSamuel LuckittJohn SkipperThomas BurrowsSamuel GrangerAlban SmithEdward Green John SmithBenjamin GrayRichard SmithJohn SmootWilliam ClarkJohn NearySamuel VermillionTruman HiltonGilbert GarlandMark McPherson

Second CompanyPatk. Sims, CaptainBenj. Ford, 1st Lt.John Burgis, CadetWalter Cox, CadetJohn Richardson, Sgt.Peter Clarke, Sgt.Edward Spurrier, Sgt.Alexius Conner, Sgt.John Beans, 2nd Lt.Henry Gaither, EnsignMichael Burgis, CorporalGazaway Watkins,CorporalJohn Elson, corporalHenry Leek, CorporalBenj. Lewis, DrummerThos. Horson, Fifer

PrivatesJonathan RobinsonJohn LindsayCoxon TalbottLawrence QueneyJames MitchellPeter GallworthBozely WrightMilburn Cox

John WileyJames AdamsHugh TomlinAmos GreenChristr. BrumbargherThomas SimpkinsElisha EveritThos ConnerJohn RusselJohn EdelinDanl. RankinsJames PerryRichard CoxJoseph StewardThomas WalshJohn WalkerChas. BurroughsPhilip JinkinsBen. BurroughsFrancis ThompsonFrancis OsbornoMichael BarnittWillm. SkipperWillm. HeyderPhilip KingRichd JohnsonJohn VeachPatrick NowlandMoses McNewJacob PennJames ByzchBen. BermillionRicd. LoweRobt. NeslonBasil RidglyMichael WaltzWillm. EvansJohn GrantPaul HagartyElias PerryVeach BurgisJacob HollandMiddleton MarlowJohn d. LanhamJohn MillsThos. PerkinsHenry LanhamEdward BlacklockJohn RoderyRobt. SappThos. DawsEdmd. CarrollEdwd. Jones

Third CompanyBarton Lucas, CaptainWm. Sterett, 1st Lt.Peter Brown, Sgt.James Burnes, Sgt.Zach. Tannahill, Sgt.Levin Will Coxen, Sgt.Saml Hamiltone, CorporalAlex, Roxburgh, 2nd Lt.

Wm Ridgely, EnsignBenedict Woodward, CorporalBenjn. Warner, CorporalZacha. Gray, CorporalGeo. Rex Leonard, DrummerJoshua Saffell, Fifer

PrivatesJohn CissellZacha TillyChrstopher BealLeonard WatkinsThomas ScottDaneil McKAyJohn BakerJohn DunnAbijah BuxtoneNathan PeakeTimothy CollinsJeremiah OwingsJoseph BarryJohn ArmstrongGeorge WrightPhhillip WellerHugh ConnRobt. LesachoJohn BrownBenjn. KellyJosias ConnallyRody HouslyJmes MurphyGeorge KnottJohn EnrightThos. MrrayWilliam PearceCharles JonesJoseah HattouRichard StoneSameul RayGeorge HamiltoneJohn FlemingJohn WoodRichard BrookesZacha. WillingRichard WadeJohn JowingsAlex. JacksonJohn MurphyJohn JacksonJohn FlintAmos AllenJohn HughesThos. ForgusonObediah SumersAbsolam StevensonJohn HalseyThos. Wi;ndonJames SmithGeorge EvaunsThoms ShannenGeorge LeadbarnMichl. CatonsJames HurdleFranics Cole

Appendix 6 - Draft List of 1776 Battle of Brooklyn Casualties

43

Alex. AllenWm. BakerGarret BrinkenhoofJohn Rex LeonardBazil JenkinsBartholomew FinnRoddey OwingsGeorge ReadJames GardinerPatk. CollinsZachariah Hutchins

Sixth CompanyPeter Adams, CaptainNathl. Ewing, 1st Lt.Joseph Elliott, Sgt.Edqard Edgerly, Sgt.Thomas McKeel, Sgt.Alex. Murray, 2nd Lt.John Jordan EnsignThoms Dwyer, Sgt.Sanl Swigens, CorporalSaml. Swignes, CorporalJas. Rogan, CorporalDanl. Floyd, CorporalRobert Ross, DrummerChas. McKeel, Fifer

PrivatesThos. CooperSaml McCubbinJohn ClarkZacha. NicholsonHenry CovingtonWm LaightonWm. McDanelGeorge JacksonJohn HattonAlex. WrightJohn FloydElijah FloydMoses FloydJohn McFadonCarbry BurnJohn McClainJohn JohnsonJas. KellyWillm. McGregorThos. FisherJohn PowellJoseph PirkensJoseph BootmanHugh WallaceWillm. McDaniel IIJames BollHenry CliftWm GloverJohn BryanWm HolmsWm RayThos. LaffyJas. KirkWm. LeesonJohn LowryJohn McClain, of HarfordAlex. Fulton

Jas. CraigRobert ManPatk. QuigleyWm LockeWm. NagleJohn LynchHugh McClainJas. CarmichaelThos. WilliamsJohn KerbyJas. GibsonJno. GalwayRobt. RitchieWm AitkenHugh GalwayJohn MorrowGeo. DowlingWm. ClarkWm. TempleJohn PhelpsJames BarkelyCrisenberry Clift.

Seventh IndependentMaryland Company

Edward Veazey, Cap-tainWilliam Harrison, 1stLt.Sameul TurbuttWright,2nd Lt.Edward DeCourcy, 3rdLt.W. SandsW. NoyesI SmithS. FloyI BabbR. WhiteI LoweT. WhiteI BazilI JasperW. JohnsonJoseph MatthewsD HenselyA RyanWR McKinzieH WeatonC O'NealE Murphy

New York Times 18 August 1895Prisoners List

W OvertonJ. GreenN WhatkinsE WaterI BoonT RobinsonC BargberJ NailorT. MayhewJ. DevaunJ MattinglyT WeatonN WakinsP LawlessG LeechI MeekW SowebJ ConneryR EldwoodI PopeI ManyjorsJ YatorD KellissM PadgetE EdwardsI HarperJ OarmT HamiltonN O'NealF MichelI NottinghamW KemickC RichardsonT GordonI AshtonJ KoyBurgess Howard___ WattsJoseph AnglainEdw James MurphyJohn Carr

44

Appendix 7a

DESCRIPTION OF TYPICAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION TASKSTask Descriptions of a typical Archaeological Investigation process were provided by Chrysalis Archaeological Consultants and are provided for discussion and estimate purposes only.

Remains of a soldiers mass grave being excavated in Lutzen Germany. This lost grave contains some of the 6000casualties of the 1632 Battle of Lutzen, a conflict of Europe’s 30 Year War. Soldiers and mercenaries fromScotland, England, Croatia, Germany, Austria, Finland and Sweden all fought in the battle.The bodies were discovered next to a supermarket in 2011.

Clues to the Thirty Years War: Mass Grave Begins Revealing Soldiers’ Secrets, by Christoph Seidler, Der Spiegel

45

46

47

48

Appendix 7b: 2013 Report of Preliminary Archaeological Survey of 170 / 168 8th Street Site

49

Appendix 3c: 2013 Soil Boring Locations Map by TRC Consultants. Borings were planned to assessthe presence of contaminated soils on this former chemical factory site, not for historical analysis.

50

Appendix 7c: Overlay of the 2013 Soil Boring Locations Map by TRC Consultants by Eymund Diegel to show theirlocation relative to unusual bumps identified by the 2013 LIDAR micro-topography study

51

Letters of Support for the Marylander Green Community Park

Statue of Washington and Lafayette, Place des Etats-Unis, Paris, France

Cour

tesy

of t

he U

nited

Sta

tes o

f Am

eica

Cons

ulate

, pho

to b

y Ly

cee

Cond

orce

t

Appendix 8 - Letters of Support

You can contact Bob Furman, Brooklyn Preservation Council at bobfurman1@juno.com

should you want to add yours

53

54

October 30, 2013

Honorable Andrew CuomoGovernorState of New YorkExecutive ChamberAlbany, New York 12227

Dear Governor Cuomo:

The Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation (GCCDC) being on the forefront oflocal economic development since 1978 fully supports the efforts of the Brooklyn Preservation Council to develop a commemorative ecological park on vacant land between Eight and Ninth Streetsbounded by Third and Fourth Avenues in Brooklyn to rightfully honor the Marylanders who died saving the American Revolution during the Battle of Brooklyn on August 27, 1776.

It is possible that remains of Marylanders who perished on that eventful day still lie there andunder neighboring properties. The GCCDC also supports the efforts of the Council to locate any suchremains which would then be properly interned and honored.

The addition of parkland in this newly developing area is a necessary amenity for its many newresidents, and an appropriate mix of park and commemoration needs to be worked out as the factson the ground develop.

Thank you for joining us in your support for this long awaited commemoration.

Sincerely,

Bill AppelExecutive Director

cc: Hon Velmanette Montgomery Hon Bill de BlasioHon Joan Millman Hon Brad Lander

55