Fort Stark

Fort Stark (1873-1948) - An Endicott Period Coastal Fort first established in 1873 on the site of previous fortifications. Located on Jerry's Point, New Castle Island, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. Named Fort Stark in G.O. 43, 4 Apr 1900, after Brigadier General John Stark, who in command of the New Hampshire forces at the Battle of Bennington, 16 Aug 1777, achieved a brilliant victory, for which he was awarded the thanks of Congress and a commission as a brigadier general in the Continental Army, in which position he served with unusual distinction until the close of the Revolutionary War. Post turned over to the U.S. Navy in 1948.

Endicott Period (1890-1910)

Part of the Harbor Defense of Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

The land for this small 10 acre post was acquired on 14 March 1873 from a John A. Lambery. Previous batteries had been located on this land prior to and during the Revolutionary War.

Endicott Period construction began in 1898 with a temporary battery of modified 8" Rodman guns.

Fort Stark Endicott Period Battery (edit list)

Battery Click on Battery links below	No.	Caliber	Type Mount	Service Years	Battery Cost	Notes
Battery Hunter (2)	2	12"	Disappearing	1901-1904-1904-1945	$ 109,000
Battery Kirk	2	6"	Disappearing	1903-1904-1904-1917	$ 40,000	HECP-HDCP 1944
Battery Hays	2	3"	Pedestal	1904-1905-1905-1942	$ 26,955
Battery Lytle	2	3"	Pedestal	1904-1905-1905-1945	Included above
Battery Unnamed	2	8"	Rodman	1898-1900	$ ?	Modified Rodman
Source: CDSG

World War I (1917-1918)

Fort Stark Plan 1921

World War II (1941-1945)

Fort Stark HECP-HDCP Structure

In 1943-44 a combined Harbor Entrance Control Post (HECP) and Harbor Defense Command Post (HDCP) was built into the magazine structure of the deactivated Battery Kirk. This facility included a new three floor concrete observation station built on top of the magazine structure with an SCR-682 RADAR set on top of that. The observation station structure was disguised as a modernistic building with camouflaged paint. This facility was accepted for service on 10 Jan 1944 at a cost of $ 93,398.77.

Fort Stark World War II Battery (edit list)

Battery Click on Battery links below	No.	Caliber	Type Mount	Service Years	Battery Cost	Notes
Battery Lytle II	2	3"	Pedestal	1942-1942-1942-1944	$ 2,271	Guns from Battery Lytle
Source: CDSG

Cold War (1947-1991)

The U.S. Navy took over Fort Stark in 1948 and used it primarily for reserve training. The property was deeded to the State of New Hampshire in 1983. The State established Fort Stark State Historic Site.

Current Status

Part of Fort Stark State Historic Site, Jerry's Point, New Castle Island, Rockingham County, New Hampshire.

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Location: Jerry's Point, New Castle Island, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. Maps & Images Lat: 43.057843 Long: -70.713270 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 13'

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 502-503
• U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project, Harbor Defenses of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (CCA-P-PCC), 1945, CDSG

Links:

• North American Forts - Fort Stark
• CDSG

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