Like other parks in northern Manhattan, the site of Isham Park played a crucial role in the battle of Fort Washington during the American Revolution. The site served as a landing point for Hessian troops coming up the Harlem River to drive the American forces to Westchester and New Jersey. Within the park lies a lovely, worn outcropping of Inwood marble, and a large ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) tree. Today the Urban Park Rangers work with school children on a variety of restoration projects to stabilize the slope and improve the health and appearance of the park by planting native shrubs and trees.
Discover the history of Isham Park