A small, five-sided earthen structure equipped with two cannons, it overlooked the mouth of Spuyten Duyvil Creek at its confluence with the Hudson River.

[4] One such notable who had a summer estate in Inwood was Isidor Straus, co-owner of the Macy's department store and a passenger on the ill-fated voyage of the Titanic.

The site today includes a small paved area and park benches; no trace of the building remains.

[2] His idea did not gain traction quickly, but the archeological finds in the area by individuals such as Reginald Pelham Bolton, the unique geology of the hill, historical associations (both true and merely rumored), the inherent beauty of the landscape, and the views to be seen from it finally brought the city around.

Squatters who lived in the abandoned estates around the perimeter of the park were removed in the 1930s by Robert Moses and the Works Project Administration (WPA).

It is located near the park entrance on 218th Street and Indian Road, and is on a peninsula that was formerly connected to the Bronx mainland before the digging of the Harlem River Ship Canal.

The center is located on Manhattan's only salt-water marsh, and has been designated as an interactive exhibit with ongoing monitoring of the natural area.

Hudson actually engaged in a battle from his ship with Native Americans at nearby Nipinichsen, just north of Spuyten Duyvil Creek, on October 2, 1609.

Peter Minuit Post 1247 of the American Legion placed the boulder and the plaque in 1954, commemorating the 300th anniversary of New Amsterdam gaining municipal rights a year earlier.

The plaque labels the boulder "Shorakkopoch" (a more recent Parks Department sign nearby calls it "Shorakapok Rock"), and claims that "according to legend" this is where Minuit negotiated the purchase of Manhattan Island from Native Americans.

[11] The association of a "treaty tree" in different locations with land acquisition has been noted as a common myth that promotes a narrative of peaceful colonial settlement.

[2] The Torrey Botanical Society, newly formed in 1867, noted several orchid species growing on the west slopes of a ridge in Inwood, as well as around Spuyten Duyvil, including a small colony of Tipularia discolor, that the group scrupulously cared for.

Mallards, Canada geese and ring-billed gulls are year-round residents, using both the water and the nearby lawns and ball fields.

[18] The woods support a wide variety of birds, including common species such as blue jays and cardinals, as well as wild turkeys.

A five-year project that began in summer 2002 attempted to reintroduce the bald eagle to Manhattan using hacking boxes in the park and eaglets brought in from the Midwest.

[5][20][2] Native species from nurseries were added to the park to provide greater vegetation, such as Abies balsamea, Acer rubrum, A. saccharum, Aesculus, and Betula lenta.

[citation needed] Inwood Hill Park also has facilities for barbecuing, a dogs run, and kayak and canoe launches.

[25] The development and evolution of Inwood Hill Park's flora and fauna are intrinsically linked to the financial stability of New York City and its residents.

Fiscal investments of the state have a significant impact on the health and species diversity of flora and fauna in New York city parks.

[31] As part of this approved initiative, New York plans to set aside $4.2 billion in order to enhance, allocate and redevelop the natural landscape and environment of the state.

The park is a central location in the 2013 science fiction novel The Orion Project, due to its being a low-population area of a brightly lit city.