Fort Burnside

Fort Burnside (1942-1948) - A World War II Coastal Fort first established in 1942 on Beavertail Point, Newport County, Rhode Island. Named in G.O. 65, 4 Dec 1942, after Major General Ambrose E. Burnside, U.S. Civil War General, and Rhode Island Governor (1866-1868). Abandoned in 1948. Beavertail lighthouse & Museum HECP at Fort Burnside Beavertail Point from the Lighthouse, HECP in Background by the Tower World War II Part of the Harbor Defense of Narragansett Bay. Fort Burnside HECP Sectional View The purchase of 118.64 acres on Beavertail Point for Fort Burnside was authorized on 25 Feb 1942 by the War Department and the transaction was completed on 4 Aug 1942. Construction was already underway on both Battery 213 (19 Feb 1942) and Battery Whiting (2) (5 May 1942). Battery Whiting (2) was transferred for service first on 29 Aug 1942, followed by Battery 213 on 23 Dec 1943. A third 16" gun battery Battery 110 was proposed but never built. An elaborate HECP was turned over for service in July 1943. The HECP was constructed of reinforced concrete to look like a large wooden beach cottage. An SCR 582 RADAR antenna was enclosed in a blister on top of the deckhouse. The post was abandoned by the U.S. Army in 1948 and eventually became Beavertail State Park. Fort Burnside World War II Battery (edit list) Battery Click on Battery links below No. Caliber Type Mount Service Years Battery Cost Notes Battery 110 2 16" Casemated Barbette (CBC) NB $ 0 Not Built Battery 213 2 6" Shielded Barbette (SBC) 1942-1943-1943-1948 $ 239,623 Battery Whiting (2) 2 3" Pedestal 1942-1942-1942-1946 $ 30,980 Guns & Carriages from Battery Whiting (1), Fort Getty 1942 Source: CDSG Fort Burnside Plan Current Status Part of Beavertail State Park, Newport County, Rhode Island. No period guns or carriages in place. Location: Beavertail State Park, Beavertail Point, Newport County, Rhode Island. Maps & Images Lat: 41.453036 Long: -71.397893 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 3' Sources: U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of Narragansett Bay, (HDNARB-AP-45), 1 Feb 1945, CDSG Links: North American Forts - Fort Burnside Rhode Island State Park - Beavertail CDSG Visited: 29 May 2012