Fort Canby
Fort Canby (1852-1947) - Established in 1863 during the U.S. Civil War and activated 15 Apr 1864. First named Fort Cape Disappointment and renamed Fort Canby 13 Feb 1875, after General Edward R.S. Canby, who was killed in the Modoc Indian War. Deactivated 28 Mar 1947.
History of Fort Canby
In 1852 the War Department created a military reservation at Cape Disappointment to protect the mouth of the Columbia, but construction did not begin until August 1863. The post was completed and occupied by troops 15 Apr 1864. Several frame garrison buildings were erected and a fortification consisting of three earthwork batteries armed with smoothbore cannons was built to protect the mouth of the Columbia River.
The fort is also the site where, on 15 Nov 1805, members of the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery first stepped into the breaking surf of the Pacific Ocean.
The Endicott Period
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Between 1896 and 1908, after a long period of neglect during which the fort and its armament had become obsolete, the Army completely renovated them. New barracks and other buildings were constructed, and two batteries (Allen and O'Flyng) with a total of five rifled guns in concrete emplacements were installed. In 1921 a new mortar battery, Battery Guenther, with four 12" mortars was added. Two other forts, Fort Stevens on the Oregon side and Fort Columbia on the Washington side of the Columbia River completed the Harbor Defense System. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World War II
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The fort remained in caretaker status from the end of World War I to 21 Feb 1941 manned only by a sergeant and two enlisted men. The fort was reactivated in 1941 and in 1944 Battery 247 was added on McKenzie Head. In 1947 the fort was deactivated. Present surviving structures date from the World War II period. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Location: Cape Disappointment, Washington Maps & Images Lat: 46.278602 Long: -124.053326
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Sources:
- Hart, Herbert M., Tour Guide to Old Western Forts, Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder CO, 1980, ISBN 0-87108-568-2, page 181
- Frazer, Robert W., Forts of the West, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman OK, 1965, ISBN 0-8061-1250-6, page 171
- 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 829-830
Links:
Visited: Sep 2005
Picture Gallery
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