Battery Kinzie: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:42, 23 March 2010

Battery Kinzie (1912-1944) - Battery Kinzie is a concrete Endicott Period Battery located on Fort Worden, Washington. Named in G.O. 245, 13 Dec 1909, for BG David Hunter Kinzie, a U.S. Civil War veteran who died in 1904. The Battery was begun in Jun 1908, completed in 1910 and transfered to the Coastal Artillery for use 10 Jan 1912 at a total cost of $207,832.50. The guns were dismounted in 1944 toward the end of World War II.

Battery Kinzie History

Part of the Harbor Defense of Puget Sound. Designed to protect both the Straight of Juan De Fuca and the Admiralty Inlet to Puget Sound.

Built with two 12" M1895 MI guns on M1901 disappearing carriages in a concrete battery at a cost of $207,832.50. The 12" guns could fire a thousand pound shell 10 miles. The battery is a very large one with 15 rooms, a battery control station and two long external corridors. It was a bit unique in that air spaces were left between rooms to ventilate them and to isolate them somewhat from the shock of the 12" guns firing. It was the last large battery built for Puget Sound defense.

**Battery Kinzie Armament** (edit list)
Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model	Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates	Notes
1	12" Rifle	442.56"	M1895MI	60	Watervliet	Disappearing, M1901, #21, Alliance	1912-1944	See Note 1
2	12" Rifle	442.56"	M1895MI	73	Watervliet	Disappearing, M1901, #20, Alliance	1912-1944	See Note 1
Source: RCW Form 1, Mar 1923, Coast Defense Study Group, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 150-151, 217 Note 1: Guns transferred to [Watervliet]] 12 Aug 1944, carriages ordered salvaged 9 Mar 1944. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA

Current Status

Part of the Fort Worden State Park Conference Center. The Battery is accessible to the public and the rooms are clean and dry but empty. The remains of the shell and powder hoists can be seen and you can still see, in some rooms, the overhead tracks used to move the shells.

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Location: Point Wilson, Fort Worden State Park Conference Center, Port Townsend, Washington

Maps & Images

Lat: 48.142566 Long: -122.760844