| Blockhouse No. 1 | |
|---|---|
| North Woods, Central Park, Manhattan | |
 | |
  Blockhouse No. 1  Blockhouse No. 1  Blockhouse No. 1 | |
| Coordinates | 40°47′55″N 73°57′23″W / 40.79866°N 73.95629°W |
| Type | Blockhouse |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1812–1814 |
| Materials | Sandstone, schist |
| Fate | Closed |
Blockhouse No. 1, colloquially known as The Blockhouse, is a small fort in the North Woods section of Central Park, Manhattan, New York City. Finished in 1814, the Blockhouse is the second-oldest structure in the park, after Cleopatra's Needle, and the oldest surviving structure originally built within the park site.[a] It is located on an overlook of Manhattan schist, with a clear view of the flat surrounding areas north of Central Park.
The fort was part of a series of fortifications in northern Manhattan, which originally also included three fortifications in Harlem Heights (now Morningside Heights). It was accompanied by Blockhouses No. 2, 3, and 4 in Morningside Park. The fort is the last remaining fortification from these defenses. Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the designers of Central Park, treated Blockhouse No. 1 as a picturesque ruin, romantically overrun with vines and Alpine shrubbery.[2]
- ^ "Obelisk". The Official Website of Central Park NYC. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- ^ Bryk, William (February 5, 2002). "Central Park Still Awaits the British". NY Press. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
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