Fort Gansevoort, near Tenth Avenue and Little West 12^th Street in New York, was established in 1808 and completed in time to be put to use during the War of 1812. It was equipped with an oven for heating cannonballs and had whitewashed walls (which were torn down before 1869) that inspired its nickname: "Old White Fort." The spot was later popular with picnickers as well as Baptists, who performed immersions there.

This view is based on an engraving from around 1830 by Charles Burton. Burton’s scene was changed substantially, however, to better fit the circular dimensions of the plate. The arching tree on the left was added, along with the bank with flowers in the foreground; the Fort itself was made more distant, and a bending female figure in the foreground was changed to one standing and one seated figure. The border of leaves and vines was a stock pattern, owned by the manufacturer, which could be used for many different pieces.