8. Milestone Park includes a replica of the oldest milestone in New York City
Milestone Park, a popular park and meeting place for the community, is named for having a replica of the oldest milestone in New York City. The original sandstone milestone is currently in possession of the Brooklyn Historical Society, though the current granite stone was installed in 1917. The original milestone was placed in 1741 across from Van Pelt Manor, which was built around 1672 and housed eight generations of the family.
The home was used as a military prison during the Revolutionary War by both George Washington and William Howe. It reads on one side, “8-1/4 Miles to New York and 2-1/2 Miles to Denyse’s Ferry,” while the other says, “10-1/2 Miles to New York Ferry 15 Miles to Jamaica.” A descendant of the original owners, Townsend Cortelyou Van Pelt, deeded the manor for one dollar, provided the site would maintain the historical milestone. Additional land was purchased by the Parks Department in 1924.