Lower Manhattan Today

Lower Manhattan Today The ever-growing Manhattan community is a dynamic mixture of businesses, residences, and cultural institutions of interest to visitors and residents alike. , Destinations marked in a red dot indicate those points of interest which have contemporary and historical relevance to Native American cultures., 1) Governors Island US Coast Guard Base , In the early 17th century, the island was a place of extensive trade between Native Americans and Dutch colonists for the much-coveted fur trade of the region. , 2) Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty , A sacred site to the Delaware people, this island became a central entry point for US immigrants from 1892-1954. , 3) Castle Clinton National Memorial, Battery Park , In 1833, shortly after surrendering to the US, Sauk-Fox leader Black Hawk visited this former military outpost. , 5) Alexander Hamilton US Customs House and Bowling Green Park, 1 Bowling Green , The National Museum of the US Indian in the US Customs House now occupies the original site of the Dutch-built Fort Amsterdam. One of the most popular myths about Manhattan is Peter Minuit’s “purchase” of the island from local native peoples. The place now known as Bowling Green Park. , 7) Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 54 Pearl Street , This memorial pays tribute to the men and women who served in the Vietnam War, among them over 41,500 Native Americans. , 10) Wall Street , In 1653, Dutch colonists built a great wooden wall to keep out the “northern Indians”. When the barrier was dismantled, the path left behind became known as Wall Street. , 14) World Trade Center , The “twin towers”, tallest buildings in New York, were constructed with the help of native American steelworkers. , 16) Brooklyn Bridge , Towering above a canoe route once used by native people, the Brooklyn Bridge spans the shortest distance between Manhattan and Brooklyn. , 27) American Indian Community House, 404 Lafayette Street , American Indian Community House Gallery, 708 Broadway, 2nd floor , Founded in 1978, American Indian Community House is the only American Indian-owned and operated-gallery in the greater New York area. The gallery exhibits contemporary fine art in all media by native Americans nationwide., “It appears that the museum is on the road to fulfilling its potential and viable resource for education, training, and employment for the Native American community and most importantly as a vehicle for reinforcing out sense of pride as who were are as people.” , Rosemary Richmond (Mohawk) , Executive Director , American Indian Community House