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Weekly Walking Tours Begin July 7

To answer the demand for walking tours, they are going to be held weekly in July and August this summer. Beginning July 7, they will be given every Thursday at 11:30 AM. To attend, you should take the 10:00 or 11:00 AM ferry.

Advance tickets are on sale via FareHarbor.com and are recommended, as the tours do sell out.

The two-hour walking tour will focus on the three hundred years of island history. Learn about the people and stories that shaped Governors Island. Stops explore the military life, Civil War and World War I events, aviation pioneers, and even where the tiny railroad once ran. The tour is led by Kevin C. Fitzpatrick, author of The Governors Island Explorer’s Guide (Globe Pequot Press).

• See 50 locations on the island;
• History of all Army buildings and Army housing;
• Significance of all fortifications and military use of the island;
• The people that made the island a home for 200 years;
• Historical trivia galore;
• War of 1812 and the island;
• Civil War and World War I locations and tales;
• Insights into life on the island from the Dutch to the present day;
• Current usage of the park and the buildings, what the future holds;
• See rare photos, maps and drawings from Kevin’s personal collection.

The walk lasts approximately two hours. Wear comfortable shoes. Bringing a bottle of water is suggested. Immediately after the walk, guests will be at the Liggett Terrace Food Court, where food and drinks can be purchased.

Dates for the walks: July 7, July 14, July 21, July 28, August 4, August 18, and August 25.

Kids and strollers welcome.

Meet at 11:30 AM. at the hilltop Welcome Wall where the Manhattan ferry lands at Soissons Dock.

Reservations are required, book tickets in advance.

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Kevin C. Fitzpatrick has written and edited seven books with ties to New York history, including "The Governors Island Explorer's Guide" and "World War I New York: A Guide to the City’s Enduring Ties to the Great War." Kevin is a licensed sightseeing guide and has been leading walking tours since 1999. He resides in Manhattan.