In spring 2006, during the South Ferry excavation in the Battery, four sections of a colonial era wall were identified by archeologists. Although each of the four sections exhibited unique features, they are all likely part of the same wall, constructed between 1730 and 1766. Differences among the sections may be due to successive periods of construction, which would account for the various building materials and construction techniques used. Sections 1 and 2 were built directly on bedrock and made of mortared sandstone. Sections 3 and 4 were dry-laid shift, with section 3 built upon a cobble foundation and section 4 standing on a sand foundation.
The section pictured below [on the marker] is associated with a large log feature, which may have been a portion of a pier. It was documented in detailed drawings, and samples of the wood were taken for dating. Because of the archaeological analysis, the wall was determined eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Ongoing study of this important discovery will provide a more detailed history of the Battery than has ever been possible before.
The portion of the wall temporarily displayed here in Castle Clinton National Monument is from section 1, the first to be unearthed on November 8, 2005. The historic stones have been safely preserved and are presented in their original configuration.
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