Battery Park, Burlington

Battery Park is a public park set on a high bluff at the western edge of downtown Burlington, overlooking Lake Champlain. From this elevated position, it functions both as a green space and a natural viewpoint, offering wide, uninterrupted views across the water and toward the distant Adirondack Mountains.

The park takes its name from the artillery batteries once positioned here during the War of 1812. On August 13, 1813, American forces, supported by the USS President, successfully defended this strategic point against a British attack, securing the harbor below. What began as a military outpost gradually transitioned into a civic landscape after the land was deeded to the city in 1870, with further expansion added in 1972.

Today, Battery Park combines open lawns with a handful of built features, including a bandshell, a playground, and several monuments. Among them are a bronze statue of Civil War veteran General William W. Wells and a carved red oak sculpture honoring Chief Gray Lock. Its elevated setting continues to define the experience, drawing both residents and visitors for daily use and seasonal events, especially the Independence Day fireworks over the bay.