Hamilton Park

Hamilton Avenue off JFK Boulevard East, Weehawken, Hudson County, New Jersey

Geology:

The park is situated on top of the Palisades.

History:

July 11, 2004.  Two historical plaques were placed in the park on the 200th anniversary of the duel between Hamilton and Burrr from which came some of the information below.

The Park commemorates the Burr-Hamilton Duel.  There is a bust of Alexander Hamilton on top of a pedestal along the side walk of Hamilton Avenue amidst four planted American sycamore trees.  Looking down the cliff, one street with a row of town houses separates the park from the waters of the Hudson River. 

The Weehawken Dueling Ground was active from  the 1700's to the 1840's.  Somewhere below the Hamilton Park, on a wooded ledge, 20 feet above the Hudson River, lay the dueling ground.  There were a number of persons who dueled here, including the Governor of New York De Witt Clinton (1769-1828) and the U. S. Navy Commodore Oliver Perry (1785-1819).  They dueled to defend their honor, according to the custom of the day. 

On July 11, 1804 General Alexander Hamilton and the sitting Vice-President of the United States, Colonel Aaron Burr, dueled.  Hamilton shot his pistol into the air but Burr took aim and delivered a fatal shot to Hamilton.  Hamilton died from the wound in New York City.  Tragically, Hamilton's son Philip had met his death here in a duel in 1801. 

Also in the Park is the Soldiers and Sailors Monument.

Facilities:

Beautiful views of the New York City skyline.  The Empire State Building is especially noticeable.

PLANT LIST:
Dr. Patrick L. Cooney, * = blooming on date of field trip, 12/15/04.

Trees:
Ailanthus altissima (tree-of-heaven)
Paulownia tomentosa (empress tree)
Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore)

Shrubs:
Rhus typhina (staghorn sumac)

Vines:
Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle)

Herbs:
Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese knotweed)
Senecio vulgaris (common groundsel)
Verbascum thapsus (common mullein)

Grasses:
Phragmites australis (giant reed grass)
Setaria glauca (yellow foxtail grass)