Fort Gansevoort (Manhattan, New York)

Manhattan · New York · War of 1812

Quick BriefBuilt in 1812 to defend the Hudson River during the War of 1812, Fort Gansevoort was known as the "White Fort" for its whitewashed walls and armed with twenty-two cannons. Though completed as tensions with Britain escalated, the fort never saw combat when New York City remained unattacked throughout the war. It was demolished between 1849 and 1854 as military technology advanced and Manhattan's shoreline expanded.

Coastal defense

History & Significance

Fort Gansevoort was built in 1812 in Manhattan, New York, at the foot of Gansevoort Street along the Hudson River. The fort was referred to as the "White" Fort due to its whitewashed exterior.

The fort was named for Peter Gansevoort, who served as a Colonel in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. It was armed with twenty-two cannons, a shot furnace, arsenal, and a barracks.

Despite being built during the early weeks of the War of 1812, the fort did not see combat during the conflict. Construction timing remains uncertain; some sources state that construction began in 1808, however, the fort does not appear in the Secretary of War's report on fortifications for December 1811.

The fort was demolished sometime between 1849 and 1854. Following its demolition, negotiations with John Jacob Astor, who owned most of the Gansevoort area, led to the purchase of underwater rights for the Hudson River, and when complete, the shoreline west of Washington Street was filled in and became the terminus of the Hudson River Railroad.