I’ve mentioned in some of my narratives about my being almost a lifelong resident of the Bay Ridge, Brooklyn area of New York City and if I am mistaken – well now you know 🙂 The region is rich in its Revolutionary War history based on its location in the city and if you head up to 101st Street and Fourth Avenue you can see one of the areas highlights in John Paul Jones Park.  The area is most affectionately known as “Cannonball Park” by residents even though that is not its name.  The nickname hails from the massive Parrott cannon that stands proudly between entrances to the park and just off the main thoroughfare.   I shot these images back around September of 2010 and had been meaning to share them with the Blog readers but only am getting around to it now.  Since this is an ever progressing piece of life in action I don’t think anyone will mind.

The cannon is a part of the park’s Civil War memorial and was originally in Fort Pitt PA according to the research I did on the location.  For many years I had assumed that it was always there and used to ward off arriving enemy ships in the Narrows harbor.  While that might have been cool to imagine it was never the case.  Oh well, chalk that one up to vivid imagination.  Here are some additional shots of the cannon, and fortunately ones without children or other touristy types climbing on it.  Yes that happens all the time.

The cannon itself is sealed off in the front and the cannon balls are firmly in place.  I don’t think they could have been moved all that easily if they were not, but you never can tell these days.

Is this Plymouth Rock you might be wondering, and well, no, it isn’t but it is a monument to some of the happenings that took place in this region.  Here is the park’s Revolutionary War memorial.  It is found just down the path into the park on the 101st street side about a 1/4 of the way inside.

The stone actually commemorates the first resistance to British Forces and well, you can read the rest for yourself in the closer up photo.

There is also a larger Revolutionary War monument in the center of the park but I only snapped this further away shot.  I will try to return and get a few closer up ones for good measure since this is so close.

Please check out this park if you happen to be in Bay Ridge as its a nice side distraction and there are plenty of benches to sit on.  There is even a gazebo that is rather popular with just married couples and their photographers.  More information can be found on the link below.

http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/johnpauljonespark/highlights/11908