Fort Wood (Liberty Island, New York)
Liberty Island · New York · War of 1812
History & Significance
The star-shaped fort was constructed between 1806 and 1811 as part of New York Harbor's defensive preparations against a potential British invasion. It is considered part of the second system of U.S. fortifications.
The granite fortification followed an 11-pointed star fort layout, mounting 24 guns. By 1811, Fort Wood was completed, ready to join the defensive network protecting New York Harbor, although it never saw combat.
Following the War of 1812, the star-shaped fortification was named Fort Wood after Lt. Col Eleazer Derby Wood who was killed in the Siege of Fort Erie in 1814, a major American defensive victory against British troops near the war's end. During the American Civil War, the fort served as a recruiting station and ordnance depot, highlighting its logistical importance even as its military role evolved.
The fort was occupied by the War Department as an army post until 1937. By the time it was chosen for the Statue of Liberty in the 1880s, the fort was outmoded and obsolete, disused and its substantial stone walls were then used as the distinctive base for the Statue of Liberty given by the Third French Republic for the American 1876 centenary celebrations.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- 11-pointed star-shaped granite fortification foundations visible beneath the Statue of Liberty
- War of 1812-era defensive structure repurposed as Liberty's pedestal
- Access to Liberty Island with panoramic New York Harbor views
- Historic stone walls and architectural engineering integrated into the statue's base
- Museum exhibits documenting the fort's military history and transformation
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Island
- https://www.nps.gov/places/000/fort-wood.htm
- https://www.nps.gov/places/fort-wood-fort-gibson.htm
- https://www.statueofliberty.org/statue-of-liberty/overview-history/
- https://studyguides.com/study-methods/overview/cmk19v4ekbvew01d55wa7ke44
- https://www.britannica.com/place/Liberty-Island