By ESTEBAN GUERRA, age 12
In 1524, Governors Island was known to the Lenape as “Nut Island.” It was then held by Dutch colonizers, before England captured it in 1664, along with the rest of New Amsterdam (now New York City). In 1699, the island was named Governors Island and was reserved for the British governors’ use. After the American Revolution, the new state of New York took over Governors Island and later gave it to the U.S. government for military use in 1800. For the next 195 years, it was used by the military and the Coast Guard.
After the Coast Guard left in 1995, 22 acres of Governors Island were given to the National Park Service in 2001, and the rest of the island was sold to New York City and New York state for the use of the public in 2003. In 2005, the island was opened to the public, and in 2009 ferries started running to the island. In 2010, the New York Harbor School opened on the island. Today, almost 1 million people visit the island each year to view historic sites, art, and have fun in the park. In 2023, it was announced that the Climate Exchange will be opened in 2028 on Governors Island to do research on climate change.
