Fort Armistead (Baltimore (Hawkins Point), Maryland)
Baltimore (Hawkins Point) · Maryland · Endicott Program era
History & Significance
Located in the Hawkins Point section of Baltimore, Fort Armistead was constructed as part of the national Endicott Program, a modernization of coastal defenses following recommendations by an 1885 board. Battery Irons was added to the fort after the 1898 Spanish–American War outbreak, as the Endicott Program remained years from completion and there was concern the Spanish fleet might bombard the U.S. coast.
Other forts of this era in the Coast Defenses of Baltimore include Fort Howard, Fort Carroll, and Fort Smallwood. The fort mounted four batteries: Battery Winchester with one 12-inch M1888 disappearing gun, Battery McFarland with three 8-inch M1888 disappearing guns, Battery Irons with two 4.72-inch 45 caliber Armstrong guns on pedestal mounts, and Battery Mudge with two 3-inch M1898 guns on masking parapet mounts.
After American entry into World War I in April 1917, many guns were removed from coast defenses for potential service on the Western Front; most heavy Baltimore-area guns were dismounted in 1917–18 and not returned. With the war over, in 1920 Fort Armistead's service came to a close; Battery Mudge's 3-inch guns were scrapped.
During World War II the fort site was briefly used by the United States Navy for ammunition storage, and from 1952–54 a four-gun 90 mm anti-aircraft battery was stationed there. The property was declared surplus in 1923 and transferred to the City of Baltimore's Department of Recreation and Parks five years later.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Endicott-era gun batteries and coastal defense structures overlooking Baltimore Harbor
- Named for War of 1812 Fort McHenry commander Major George Armistead
- Multiple caliber artillery emplacements from 1897-1901 construction period
- Historic fortification now integrated into public city park setting
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Armistead
- https://cdsg.org/
- https://fortwiki.com/Fort_Armistead_(1)
- https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/coastal-forts-endicott.htm
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seacoast_defense_in_the_United_States