Fort Wetherill (Jamestown, Rhode Island)
Jamestown · Rhode Island · World War I, World War II
History & Significance
In 1776, an 8-gun earthwork fortification was constructed by patriot forces at the site of Dumpling Rock, which overlooks the strategic East Passage toward Newport. This old fort was occupied by American, British, and French forces for various periods of time during the American Revolutionary War.
Fort Dumpling, a defensive installation, built in 1799–1800, was a round, Martell-style, fortified tower. Its purpose was to support Fort Adams blocking enemy ships from entering Newport Harbor.
Following the 1898 Spanish-American War, the site was transformed into a modern coastal defense installation. With the outbreak of the Spanish American War in 1898, and with the growing importance of Newport to the U.S. Navy, the property was enlarged for new gun emplacements as part of the Endicott Defense system.
This tied Jamestown to other defensive locations around the lower bay. In 1901, Battery Varnum was the first modern battery to be completed, mounting two 12-inch guns on barbette carriages and situated in the far southeast corner of the fort.
By 1910, the other six batteries in the fort's pre-World War II arsenal had been brought into service. During World War I, the fort was garrisoned by five companies of the Rhode Island National Guard.
After the war, Fort Wetherill reverted to caretaker status. Fort Wetherill was reactivated by the U.S. Army in September 1940 as a major part of the Harbor Defenses of Narragansett Bay, and new barracks were built to house the National Guard's 243rd Coast Artillery Regiment and its 1,200 soldiers. The State of Rhode Island officially acquired the fort on 16 August 1972 and reconfigured the site for public use as a state park.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Concrete gun battery structures from 1899 coastal defense era
- Narragansett Bay waterfront setting with scenic overlooks
- World War II submarine mine operations center remains
- 51-acre park with walking trails and recreational access
- Scuba diving site with submerged historical artifacts
Sources
- https://riparks.ri.gov/History-HistoryFortWetherill
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Wetherill
- https://www.nps.gov/places/fort-wetherill.htm
- https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/RI-01-JA25
- https://jamestownhistoricalsociety.org/the-names-of-jamestown-forts/
- https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=189619
- https://www.tclf.org/landscapes/fort-wetherill-state-park
Other Forts in Rhode Island
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