8. Fort Greene Park Used to Be a Fort

Fort Greene Park was originally built as Fort Putnam in 1776 under the supervision of Major General Nathanael Greene atop what is now the high ground of Fort Greene Park. The fort was most likely named after Colonel Rufus Putnum, who was the chief engineer responsible for fortifying Long Island.

The fort was taken over by the British after the Battle of Brooklyn. Fort Putnam was rebuilt for the War of 1812 and was renamed Fort Greene. In 1845, the city of Brooklyn turned the land into Washington Park, which was later renamed Fort Greene Park.