One hundred and fifty years ago, on April 12, 1861, at 4:30 a.m., secessionist batteries surrounding Fort Sumter began their artillery bombardment of Union forces. The Civil War had begun. Present inside Fort Sumter that morning was Patrick Murphy (1833-1903), a musician of the 1st United States Artillery. Born in Roscommon, Ireland, Murphy immigrated to … Read more
Today dawns cloudy, with a mist. Weatherman says we are finally in for a spring-like day. So, ever the optimist, Here Comes Spring! To get you in the spirit, here are a few of my photographs from last May. And here are two from our roving photographer, Jake Bernstein. Thanks, Jake, for allowing me to … Read more
NOTE: All tours visit Green-Wood’s Historic Chapel and Battle Hill, the site of George Washington’s 1776 Battle of Brooklyn. Tours are conducted on the Green-Wood trolley, but do entail some walking and stair-climbing. Discover Green-Wood: You will also visit De Witt Clinton, Leonard Bernstein, Elias Howe, who patented the sewing machine and whose dog Fannie … Read more
On a fine early spring day recently, I went for a stroll around Green-Wood. Now, one of the virtues of such a wander is that, even after years of exploring, there is always something to discover, something you’ve never noticed before. So, as I walked past this monument, I stopped to take a closer look. … Read more
Thanks to all of you who supported our Civil War Project’s efforts to commemorate the service and sacrifice of Green-Wood’s permanent residents who served in the Civil War:
Well here we are. Not too much spring in the air. It’s not even April yet! But, it is indeed OPENING DAY–time for baseball. And, if you look closely, you’ll see that the harbingers of spring are indeed here: the trees are about to leaf out, the magnolias about to bloom–and the sound of bat against … Read more
April–a great month to be born. Mothers giving birth in April avoid being pregnant during the summer. Babies born in April get to loll outside, enjoying the warmth of spring and summer, with no clue that winter is on its way. And, did I mention, my birthday is in April? Here are a few of … Read more
Just a few weeks ago, Tina Chang was selected from 22 applicants to become Brooklyn’s latest poet laureate. Well, it turns out that Ms. Chang is good at more than poetry–she’s also very good at figuring out what is important. So, when recently interviewed for a piece on wordswithoutborders.org, “The Online Magazine for International Literature,” … Read more