4. The Maryland Monument

Standing at the base of Lookout Hill, a Stanford White-designed monument commemorates the heroic stand of “The Maryland 400.” During the battle a contingent of just 400 American soldiers held off the thousands of Hessian and Scottish invaders long enough for George Washington and his troops to retreat across the Gowanus Creek. The battle cost more than half of the Maryland Regiment. The hundreds of American soldiers who died were buried at a plot somewhere near Third Avenue between just west of the park (despite a plaque at the VFW post, there is much debate as to the actual location of the burial site).

Similar in form to White’s Prison Ship Martyrs Monument in Fort Greene Park, The Maryland Monument is made up of a polished granite column stretching twelve feet high, topped with a marble orb. It was designed by White for free and donated by the Maryland Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. The pedestal, inscribed with an inscription attributed to George Washington (“Good God! What brave fellow I must his day lose,”) was donated by the Brooklyn Parks Department. The wrought iron fence was added later. The monument was dedicated on the 119th anniversary of the battle in 1895.

Next, check out The Top 12 Secrets of Brooklyn’s Prospect Park and Find the Remnants of King George III’s Statue, Toppled in Bowling Green in 1776 and find out How New Yorkers Celebrated When British Troops Left Manhattan