Prospect Park to host Battle of Brooklyn reenactment for borough-wide 250th anniversary commemoration
Relive the first and largest battle of the American Revolution this weekend as part of a borough-wide commemoration of the Battle of Brooklyn’s 250th anniversary. Fought in August 1776, just weeks after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, the battle took place across parts of present-day Prospect Park, Green-Wood Cemetery, Fulton Ferry Landing, and Fort Greene Park. To mark the anniversary, Prospect Park will host a reenactment of the battle on Saturday August 22, following in the footsteps of the soldiers who fought there 250 years ago, while Green-Wood will host its own reenactment on Sunday. The events are part of Brooklyn 250, a borough-wide commemoration by six cultural institutions with free events, tours, and discussions on the historic battle’s role in American independence.
Brooklyn 250, presented by Green-Wood Cemetery, the Old Stone House, Brooklyn Public Library’s Center for Brooklyn History, Prospect Park Alliance, Fort Greene Park Conservancy, and Friends Of Fort Defiance, highlights significant Brooklyn sites of the Revolutionary War with free events and tours.
Get a full calendar of events related to the Battle of Brooklyn here.
While Prospect Park and Green-Wood Cemetery are now known as tranquil green spaces beloved by New Yorkers, 250 years ago they were filled with the sounds of muskets and cannon fire.
On August 27, 1776, British troops launched a surprise attack on George Washington and his Continental Army in Brooklyn. Outnumbered and outgunned, American General William Alexander, Lord Stirling, led roughly 400 soldiers against a much larger British force at the Old Stone House, one of the key sites of the battle, according to the Old Stone House.
The British ultimately killed or captured roughly 1,000 American soldiers and went on to occupy Brooklyn and Manhattan for several years, dealing a major blow to the revolutionaries in the early stages of the war.
However, thanks to Stirling’s effort at the Old Stone House, they were unable to capture Washington, who withdrew his army across the East River and lived to fight another day, eventually leading the Americans to victory in 1783 when the British surrendered.
In commemoration of the pivotal battle, more than 250 living historians will reenact the Battle of Brooklyn in Prospect Park, presented by the Prospect Park Alliance, the Old Stone House, and the Brigade of the American Revolution.
Reenactors will follow the path of the historic battle in period-appropriate uniforms and equipment, recreating the armies that faced off 250 years ago. Historians portraying camp followers will interact with spectators, offering insight into the lived experiences of soldiers and civilians during the Revolution.
Additionally, Black reenactors from Living History Co. will portray both Loyalist and Patriot soldiers, as well as camp followers.
The narrated reenactment will begin with the deployment of American troops in Prospect Park, follow the British flanking maneuver down Third Street in Park Slope, and end with the last stand of the 1st Maryland Regiment at the Old Stone House.
Following the reenactment, the Old Stone House will host a commemoration of the Maryland troops, followed by an afternoon of family-friendly programming where attendees can interact with reenactors and learn about battle strategies and the daily lives of soldiers during the Revolution.
You can RSVP for the Prospect Park reenactment here. A speaking program will begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by the reenactment at 10 a.m.
Green-Wood’s event will offer a similar immersive reenactment, bringing Revolutionary War-era New York to life with costumed interpreters, 18th-century music, and storytelling. Reenactors will portray Continental and British soldiers, camp followers, spies, and George and Martha Washington.
Organized by the Old Stone House, the event will also feature hands-on activities, including writing secret messages in invisible ink, making tricorn hats, and designing regimental flags. Displays and activities will explore Black, Indigenous, Dutch, and queer histories of the Revolutionary era.
The event will also include a parade to Battle Hill, a scenic location that is the highest point in Kings County and served as a strategic location during the war. Today, the site features a monument commemorating the battle.
A keynote address from Brooklyn Borough Historian Asad Dandia will conclude the event. You can RSVP for free here.
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