Why you should experience John Paul Jones Park in Brooklyn, NY.
John Paul Jones Park is a distinguished waterfront park where Bay Ridge's military heritage, harborfront beauty, and enduring patriotism preserve one of Brooklyn's most significant collections of American military memorials.
Set along Shore Road near 101st Street and just steps from the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, this scenic waterfront park overlooks Upper New York Bay with sweeping harbor views, landscaped pathways, historic monuments, and commemorative spaces that celebrate centuries of American naval and military history. Originally acquired by the City of Brooklyn between 1895 and 1897 during the construction of Shore Road, the park evolved into a place of remembrance honoring Revolutionary War heroes, Civil War veterans, and twentieth century naval service. Today, its tranquil setting combines panoramic waterfront scenery with remarkable historical significance, creating one of Bay Ridge's most meaningful public spaces.
What you should know about John Paul Jones Park.
John Paul Jones Park is best known for being renamed in 1969 to honor Revolutionary War naval commander John Paul Jones, while preserving the Dover Patrol Naval War Memorial, a granite obelisk presented by England in 1931 as one of only three identical memorials in the world, with its sister monuments standing in Dover, England and Calais, France.
The park also preserves a remarkable collection of military artifacts, including a massive twenty inch bore Civil War Parrott cannon presented by the United States Army in 1900 and a Revolutionary War memorial marking the first resistance to British forces in New York during the Battle of Brooklyn. Together, these monuments span nearly two centuries of military history, making the park one of Brooklyn's most significant outdoor commemorative landscapes dedicated to naval service and national remembrance.
How to fold John Paul Jones Park into your trip.
John Paul Jones Park fits naturally into a late afternoon exploring Bay Ridge's historic waterfront before enjoying sunset over New York Harbor.
Begin by walking the park's memorials while taking in expansive harbor views before continuing beneath the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, where one of the world's longest suspension bridges frames the entrance to New York Harbor. Afterward, follow the waterfront through Shore Road Park, whose miles of promenades and landscaped paths invite a leisurely stroll, then conclude your afternoon at Fort Hamilton, where centuries of military history provide fitting context for the monuments preserved throughout the park. The progression from commemorative memorials to waterfront scenery and historic fortifications creates one of Brooklyn's most rewarding journeys through American military history.
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