“Man at the Community Board meeting wants to rename Fort Tryon Park,” said the Engineer.
“To what? Did he offer any other names to ‘try on’?” The Musician scooped up butter for his toast, and they settled down around the table.
“That is silly,” said Madame. “It has always been Fort Tryon Park.”
“That’s what the woman from Parks said. Fort Tryon Park. So named since the Revolution.” The Engineer carefully sliced his eggs open, to let the runny bits spill out. “But he opposed it since that was the name of the English governor at that time. Said the man tried to kidnap George Washington himself. Rather, he hired or ordered men to attempt that.”
“Sounds like he was just doing his job,” said the Musician.
“Well that’s what I thought. But also apparently the governor was considered cruel even by his own people.”
“The British?”
“Presumably so. All up and down the East Coast. He was governor of North Carolina before that.”
“Perhaps it is not so terrible an idea,” said Madame. “I mean, it is strange to keep a park named after an opposing side’s leader. Especially since everything else around here is named after George Washington.”
“Every melody has its counter,” said the Musician.
“I feel things should maintain their history no matter how ignoble. And, in any case, the woman from Parks said even the Americans back then called it Fort Tryon. Even though it was originally part of the Fort Washington defenses, after the Americans were defeated, it was renamed Fort Tryon and after the war no one bothered to rename it.”
“How strange,” said Madame.
“After that, it was essentially private property until the Rockefellers gave it to the city and it became the park it is today.”
“It occurs to me,” said the Musician, “that perhaps there is wisdom in keeping the name as it is. Would we even be talking about this Tryon man if not for the name of the park?”
“We could name it after Margaret Corbin,” said Madame. “She was the wife of an American solider who took his place on the line when he was injured. She only has the road named after her. Margeret Corbin Drive.”
“Now that is an idea I could get behind,” said the Engineer. “But the bigger question is, do we bother honoring our enemies, at least those we defeated? The British won the battle and renamed the fort, but lost the war. Perhaps little informational signs in the park.”
“I do not know. I only go there for the flower garden. And the view.” Madame sighed as she sipped her coffee.