Fort Washington (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
Cambridge · Massachusetts · American Revolutionary War
History & Significance
During the Siege of Boston, the Continental Army was very fearful of attacks from the British, so shortly after Washington arrived in Cambridge in July of 1775, they began their mission of fortifying the area. Fort Washington was a relatively small palisade consisting of two half moon batteries designed to fit fifty or sixty men, and at the time of its construction, General Washington used this project as a means of training the soldiers to build larger-scale fortifications like the one at Dorchester Heights in Boston.
Small earthwork fortifications, such as the one at the heart of Fort Washington Park, "were built to prevent the movement of British troops up the Charles River". The fort was used during the Siege of Boston and helped force its evacuation by the British.
After the Revolutionary War ended, the fortification fell into neglect. The property was acquired by the City of Cambridge and restored in 1857, at which time three 18-pounder cannons from the old Fort Winthrop, located on Governor's Island, were installed, and an elaborate granite and iron fence was designed by architect John R. Hall to protect the site.
The three gun battery at the foot of Allston Street was deeded to the city by several private residents who had cared for this plot of historic land from the close of the Revolution till 1857. A large-scale restoration occurred in the 1970s, preserving this rare surviving artifact of the Continental Army's defensive infrastructure.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Revolutionary War earthwork fortification built by Continental Army in 1775
- Three 18-pounder cannons on display
- Grassy embankments and ramparts preserved intact
- Oldest surviving fortification from the American Revolutionary War
- Accessible public park maintained by Cambridge
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Washington_(Massachusetts)
- https://www.nps.gov/places/000/fort-washington.htm
- https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=18763
- https://www.legion.org/memorials/united-states/massachusetts/united-states-massachusetts-fort-washington
- https://historycambridge.org/self-guided-tours/cambridge-and-the-american-revolution/
- https://historycambridge.org/history-hubs/fort-washington-history-hub/
Other Forts in Massachusetts
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