Fort Greene

Residential district in the north of the borough of Brooklyn, New York City. Fort Greene is situated between Clinton Hill (to the east) and the borough's commercial centre (to the west); Wallabout Bay and Williamsburg lie to the north.

The military installation after which the district is named was

originally called Fort Putnam, and was a Colonial stronghold in 1776; it was renamed Fort Greene in 1812. A 44 m/145 ft-high Doric column in Fort Greene Park was erected in 1867 to commemorate those who had died in British prison ships in Wallabout Bay during the American Revolution. In the mid-19th century, the emancipated Black community of Fort Greene provided a haven for fugitive slaves from the South, escaping via the Underground Railroad network. The district developed as a suburban alternative to Brooklyn Heights later in the century, and has many impressive brownstone buildings. Nowadays, Fort Greene is a highly integrated multiracial neighbourhood, home to Black musicians and cultural figures, such as the film director Spike Lee. The Brooklyn Academy of Music and Long Island University are in the vicinity.