Quite courteous, thanks, but don't worry... i don't stand on ceremony. :)From: Julia Thompson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: New York City Date: Fri, 27 Dec 2002 14:38:27 -0600Jon Gabriel wrote: > The Cannons Are Still Pointed At The Belt Parkway In Fort Hamilton Maru > GSV Explanation Upon Request I respectfully request an explanation. Thanks in advance! :) Julia GSV Trying To Be Courteous, Or Is It Just Trying?
Okay, here goes.
When I was a very little kid, I lived in south Brooklyn. We would visit friends on Staten Island and family in Pennsylvania. Driving down the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn heading towards the on-ramp of the Verrazano, you could see military housing to your right at Fort Hamilton. On the grass, at the top of a hill was a huge pyramidal stack of black cannonballs and two cannons facing the parkway. (In actuality, they were pointed out over the water, but they looked darn threatening to traffic when I was 5. Point 'em a few inches downward and they really looked like they could take out a few cars.) As I recall, the fort would ceremonially fire them off -- probably over the water -- on national holidays.
We took that route at least once a month for years. I then moved to Queens and subsequently to Texas. When I moved back here, I took that route to NJ a few times and spotted the cannons, still in the same place, pointed at the Belt. About 5 years ago, I think, they moved them down off the hill and pointed them in a different direction. They're now not pointed anywhere out over the bay, but instead are aimed directly at the on and off-ramp for the Verrazano, which is the end (or beginning depending on your direction) of the Belt Parkway.
So, if New York is ever invaded, the Bridge and/or the Belt will be the first to go, destroyed by friendly fire. :)
Of course, the cannons are probably now no longer functional and are likely show pieces, but part of me has been secretly amused by their placement for years. :)
There's a pic on their homepage: http://www.hamilton.army.mil/
Jon
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