Fort Sewall
Fort Sewall (1742-1898) - First established in 1742 as Gales Head Fort on a site that had been fortified since 1634. Located at Marblehead, Essex County, Massachusetts. Named after Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice Samuel Sewall . Became a city park in 1892 but was garrisoned during the Spanish-American War in 1898.
Revolutionary War (1775-1794)
The fort was rebuilt at the beginning of the Revolutionary War in 1775 and again at the end of the war in 1794 adding a blockhouse.
War of 1812 (1812-1814)
The fort was rebuilt in 1809 with an eight gun battery and when the War of 1812 began the fort was re-garrisoned. Fort Sewell protected the USS Constitution from British ships in 1814 when it anchored in Marblehead Harbor.
U.S. Civil War (1861-1865)
The fort was in ruins at the start of the U.S. Civil War but it was rebuilt in 1861 with a 12 gun battery and continuously garrisoned throughout the war.
On 22 May 1892 the city of Marblehead voted to accept the Fort as a city park. The property wasn't actually deeded to the city by the U.S. Government until 1922. The fort was used to temporarily garrison elements of the Massachusetts Militia In 1898, during the Spanish-American War.
Current Status
Still a city park. The 1794 magazine and the 1799 magazine & barracks still exists.
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Location: Essex County, Massachusetts. Maps & Images Lat: 42.508782 Long: -70.841394 |
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 410
Links:
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Fort Sewall Picture Gallery
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