![]() The opposition to this development and others has the support of local city council members, the Borough President’s office and a grant from the Park Slope Civic Council. He has said that his grandfather wanted “that visual, emotional impact statement.” According to Hamm, the view, which is touted as “the ultimate symbolism of liberty,” is not coincidental. Hamm, grandson of Higgins, is involved in a movement to stop the overdevelopment of this brownstone area of Brooklyn and to preserve his grandfather’s vision. The statue of Minerva is the site of the annual commemoration of the Battle of Long Island, held every August 26th, and is also a very popular attraction within the cemetery.Ĭharles J. Not surprisingly, Brooklynites are up in arms over the proposed development. Now developers want to obstruct the view with a 70-foot high apartment block, thus obstructing the connection between the two monuments. The nine-foot-tall bronze Minerva was a “reciprocal monument to the Statue of Liberty.” ![]() Higgins was a history buff who made his fortune selling Higgins India Ink. Higgins donated Minerva, the Greek goddess of wisdom, to the people of Brooklyn in 1919 to commemorate the Battle of Long Island, the first major battle after the Declaration of Independence. Recently, their line of vision has been threatened. At the highest point of the graveyard on Battle Hill, Minerva stands with an arm raised saluting the statue on Ellis Island, reciprocating the raised torch. Schwarz and the Tiffany family of stained glass fame. Since its founding in 1838, many prominent New Yorkers have been buried in the cemetery, including F.A.O. Thanks to the Irish immigrant turned prominent Brooklyn businessman Charles Higgins, Liberty has gazed directly into the eyes of a statue of Minerva – who stands contentedly in Brooklyn’s Greenwood Cemetery – for the past 85 years. Unbeknownst to many, Lady Liberty has a girlfriend.
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