Fort Strong (2): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:54, 8 February 2011

Fort Strong (2) (1899-1961) - An Endicott Period Coastal Fort first established in 1899 on the site of the Battery at Long Island Head on Long Island, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Named Fort Strong in G.O. 134, 22 Jul 1899, after Major General George C. Strong, U.S. Volunteers, U.S. Civil War. Abandoned in 1961.

Endicott Period (1890-1910)

Part of the Harbor Defense of Boston, Massachusetts. Seven Endicott Period gun batteries and a mine casemate were constructed on Fort Strong (2) between 1893 and 1906.

The post was built out as a two company, open plan, coastal fort between 1901 and 1907. The post buildings surrounded a rectangular parade with the officer quarters on the south end. The NCO quarters lined the east side and the two enlisted barracks angled off from the northeast corner. In 1911 the post was expanded to a four company post and a new double barracks (218 men) was constructed on the east side of the parade. Additional officer and NCO quarters were built accordingly. By the end of 1911 the post was virtually complete except for a bakery that was added in 1915.

**Fort Strong (2) Endicott Period Battery** (edit list)
Battery Click on Battery links below	No.	Caliber	Type Mount	Service Years	Battery Cost	Notes
Battery Hitchcock	1 2	10" 10"	Disappearing Disappearing	1893-1899-1899-1918 1893-1899-1899-1938	$ 336,633	One gun removed 1918
Battery Ward	2	10"	Disappearing	1893-1899-1899-1938	Included above
Battery Drum	2	4.72"	Armstrong	1898-1899-1899-1917	$ 14,737	Guns to Sachuest Point, Middletown, RI
Battery Basinger	2	3"	Masking Parapet	1899-1900-1901-1946	$ 18,780
Battery Smyth	2	3"	Pedestal	1903-1906-1906-1921	$ 16,000	Guns to Battery Basinger
Battery Stevens	2	3"	Pedestal	1903-1906-1906-1946	$ 21,500
Battery Taylor (1)	2	3"	Pedestal	1903-1906-1906-1942	$ 21,000	Guns to Battery Taylor (2) Fort Dawes
Source: CDSG

World War I (1917-1918)

During World War I, 1,500 soldiers were stationed at Fort Strong. A two-gun AA Battery #3 was built in 1917 and expanded to three guns in 1935. Designated a sub-post of Fort Banks (1) after the end of the war.

World War II (1941-1945)

Declared surplus 30 Sep 1947.

Cold War (1947-1991)

Fort Strong housed NIKE missile launch site B-35R in the 1950s, with the control site in Squantum and the Radar Section, 15th AAA Group (1958-1961). A target tracking radar was built in Battery Drum and only the footings remain.

Current Status

Closed to the public, obtain permission in advance of visit. Operated by The Boston Public Health Commission on Long Island, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.

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Location: Long Island, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.

Maps & Images

Lat: 42.323292 Long: -70.963864

Multi Maps from ACME
Maps from Bing
Maps from Google
Elevation: '

Sources:

Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 411
U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of Boston, Massachusetts, (HDB-AN-45), 31 Jan 1945, CDSG
Coast Defense Study Group, CDSG Press, CDSG Digital Library

Links:

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Fort Strong (2) Picture Gallery

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 Seven [[Endicott Period]] gun batteries and a mine casemate were constructed on Fort Strong (2) between 1893 and 1906.
+The post was built out as a two company, open plan, coastal fort between 1901 and 1907. The post buildings surrounded a rectangular parade with the officer quarters on the south end. The NCO quarters lined the east side and the two enlisted barracks angled off from the northeast corner. In 1911 the post was expanded to a four company post and a new double barracks (218 men) was constructed on the east side of the parade. Additional officer and NCO quarters were built accordingly. By the end of 1911 the post was virtually complete except for a bakery that was added in 1915.
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