Fort Wood (2): Difference between revisions
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With the presentation of the Statue of Liberty to the United States in 1884, the old granite star of Fort Wood was selected as the base for the statue. The statue was erected in the center of the old fort and dedicated on 28 Oct 1886. The fort itself was reestablished in November 1886 and occupied the remainder of the island. Fort Wood became a recruiting center in April of 1899. | With the presentation of the Statue of Liberty to the United States in 1884, the old granite star of Fort Wood was selected as the base for the statue. The statue was erected in the center of the old fort and dedicated on 28 Oct 1886. The fort itself was reestablished in November 1886 and occupied the remainder of the island. Fort Wood became a recruiting center in April of 1899. | ||
General Order 45, 1894 declared Fort Wood as subpost of [[Fort Columbus]] across New York Harbor. General Order 40, 1902, expanded the Fort Wood reservation to include the whole of Bedloes Island including the Statue of Liberty. In General Order 30, 1904 the post was designated for one company of Signal Corps troops and as a subdepot for storage of Signal Corps material. | |||
In 1916, an explosion at the close by Black Tom Wharf in Jersey City severely damaged the post but did not damage the Statue. | |||
== Current Status == | == Current Status == | ||
Revision as of 09:35, 19 April 2011
Fort Wood (2) (1811-1937) - A Second System star shaped fort completed in 1811 on Bedloe's Island, in New York Harbor. Named after Colonel Eleazer Derby Wood (1873-1814). Abandoned by the Army in 1937.
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Fort Wood (2) History
Originally constructed as a Second System fort between 1809 and 1811. The fort was built as a 12 pointed star shaped fortification to mount 24 guns. The post was garrisoned and abandoned several times before 1849. During this period it expanded to mount 77 guns and garrison up to 350 men. In 1849 the post was temporarily turned into an immigrant examining station. Fort Wood was re-garrisoned on 18 Jan 1861 just before the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War. At the conclusion of the U.S. Civil War the post was placed in caretaker status.
With the presentation of the Statue of Liberty to the United States in 1884, the old granite star of Fort Wood was selected as the base for the statue. The statue was erected in the center of the old fort and dedicated on 28 Oct 1886. The fort itself was reestablished in November 1886 and occupied the remainder of the island. Fort Wood became a recruiting center in April of 1899.
General Order 45, 1894 declared Fort Wood as subpost of Fort Columbus across New York Harbor. General Order 40, 1902, expanded the Fort Wood reservation to include the whole of Bedloes Island including the Statue of Liberty. In General Order 30, 1904 the post was designated for one company of Signal Corps troops and as a subdepot for storage of Signal Corps material.
In 1916, an explosion at the close by Black Tom Wharf in Jersey City severely damaged the post but did not damage the Statue.
Current Status
Now a part of Statue of Liberty National Monument on Liberty Island. The original star fort serves as the base for the Statue of Liberty. The last fort buildings were removed during the 1950s.
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Location: Liberty Island, New York County, New York. Maps & Images Lat: 40.69 Long: -74.045278 |
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 594-596
Links:
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Fort Wood (2) Picture Gallery
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Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better! |