Recent from talks
Fort Independence (Massachusetts)
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Fort Independence (Massachusetts)
Fort Independence is a granite bastion fort that provided harbor defenses for Boston, Massachusetts, located on Castle Island. Fort Independence is one of the oldest continuously fortified sites of English origin in the United States. The first primitive fortification was called "The Castle", placed on the site in 1634. It was rebuilt twice, then replaced around 1692 with a more substantial structure known as Castle William. It was abandoned by the British during the American Revolution, but the Americans renamed it Fort Adams and then Fort Independence. The existing granite fort was constructed between 1833 and 1851. Today it is preserved as a state park and fires occasional ceremonial salutes. Fort Independence was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
The site of Fort Independence has been occupied by various fortifications since 1634. The first fort to be constructed on Castle Island resulted from a visit by Governor John Winthrop; it was partly financed by him and the council. Construction was planned and supervised by Deputy Gov. Roger Ludlow and Captain John Mason of Dorchester, producing a "castle with mud walls" with masonry of oyster shell lime in which cannon were mounted to defend Boston from attack by sea. The first commander of the fort was Captain Nicholas Simpkins in 1634. The first fort soon fell into disrepair and was rebuilt in 1644 following a scare due to the arrival of a French warship in the harbor. The fort was reconstructed out of pine logs, stone, and earth, with 10-foot walls around a compound 50 feet square. It mounted six saker cannons and three smaller guns. A later commander was Captain Richard Davenport, who supervised the post from 1645 until 1665 when he was struck by lightning and killed. His successor was Captain Roger Clap, who commanded the fort from 1665–1686.
On March 21, 1673, the fort was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt the next year in stone, with 38 guns and 16 culverins in the four-bastion main fort, along with six guns in a water battery. Governor Edmund Andros was confined in the fort and sent to England to stand trial in 1689, following the Glorious Revolution in England, in which James II was replaced by William III. In 1692, the fort was renamed "Castle William" in honor of the king and rebuilt. The new work had 54 cannon: 24 9-pounders, 12 24-pounders, and a total of 18 32- and 48-pounders.
From 1701 to 1703, the fort was further expanded. It was designed by Wolfgang William Romer, the chief engineer of British forces in the American colonies, and its armament was nearly doubled to 100 guns. In 1740, a fifth bastion was added mounting 20 42-pounders.
In the years leading up to the American Revolution, Castle William became a refuge for British officials during periods of unrest and rioting in Boston. In 1763, Thomas Goldthwaite, half-brother of Ezekiel Goldthwait, was appointed commissioner to take charge of the repairs of Castle William. Violence forced provincial leaders and British soldiers to take shelter within the fort in the wake of events such as the Stamp Act crisis in 1765 and the Boston Massacre in 1770. In September 1765, the stamps to be issued under the Stamp Act were kept at the fort.
As the American Revolution erupted in 1775, American forces quickly commenced the Siege of Boston, and British forces made Castle William their primary stronghold. It was not until the Continental Army led by George Washington managed the fortification of Dorchester Heights that Castle William was threatened and the British evacuated Boston in March 1776. Before leaving Castle William, the British set fire to the fort, damaging it and its ordnance as best they could.
During the Revolutionary War, a fort called Fort Independence was built on Point Allerton in Hull, Massachusetts. In 1797, the name was transferred to the former Castle William, apparently leaving the fort in Hull without a name. That fort fell into disuse after the War of 1812. The site in Hull was named Fort Revere with a new fort built in the late 19th century.
American forces rebuilt the fort in 1776 and renamed it Fort Adams. In 1785, the legislature of Massachusetts designated the fort as a prison, in which capacity it served until 1805.
Hub AI
Fort Independence (Massachusetts) AI simulator
(@Fort Independence (Massachusetts)_simulator)
Fort Independence (Massachusetts)
Fort Independence is a granite bastion fort that provided harbor defenses for Boston, Massachusetts, located on Castle Island. Fort Independence is one of the oldest continuously fortified sites of English origin in the United States. The first primitive fortification was called "The Castle", placed on the site in 1634. It was rebuilt twice, then replaced around 1692 with a more substantial structure known as Castle William. It was abandoned by the British during the American Revolution, but the Americans renamed it Fort Adams and then Fort Independence. The existing granite fort was constructed between 1833 and 1851. Today it is preserved as a state park and fires occasional ceremonial salutes. Fort Independence was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
The site of Fort Independence has been occupied by various fortifications since 1634. The first fort to be constructed on Castle Island resulted from a visit by Governor John Winthrop; it was partly financed by him and the council. Construction was planned and supervised by Deputy Gov. Roger Ludlow and Captain John Mason of Dorchester, producing a "castle with mud walls" with masonry of oyster shell lime in which cannon were mounted to defend Boston from attack by sea. The first commander of the fort was Captain Nicholas Simpkins in 1634. The first fort soon fell into disrepair and was rebuilt in 1644 following a scare due to the arrival of a French warship in the harbor. The fort was reconstructed out of pine logs, stone, and earth, with 10-foot walls around a compound 50 feet square. It mounted six saker cannons and three smaller guns. A later commander was Captain Richard Davenport, who supervised the post from 1645 until 1665 when he was struck by lightning and killed. His successor was Captain Roger Clap, who commanded the fort from 1665–1686.
On March 21, 1673, the fort was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt the next year in stone, with 38 guns and 16 culverins in the four-bastion main fort, along with six guns in a water battery. Governor Edmund Andros was confined in the fort and sent to England to stand trial in 1689, following the Glorious Revolution in England, in which James II was replaced by William III. In 1692, the fort was renamed "Castle William" in honor of the king and rebuilt. The new work had 54 cannon: 24 9-pounders, 12 24-pounders, and a total of 18 32- and 48-pounders.
From 1701 to 1703, the fort was further expanded. It was designed by Wolfgang William Romer, the chief engineer of British forces in the American colonies, and its armament was nearly doubled to 100 guns. In 1740, a fifth bastion was added mounting 20 42-pounders.
In the years leading up to the American Revolution, Castle William became a refuge for British officials during periods of unrest and rioting in Boston. In 1763, Thomas Goldthwaite, half-brother of Ezekiel Goldthwait, was appointed commissioner to take charge of the repairs of Castle William. Violence forced provincial leaders and British soldiers to take shelter within the fort in the wake of events such as the Stamp Act crisis in 1765 and the Boston Massacre in 1770. In September 1765, the stamps to be issued under the Stamp Act were kept at the fort.
As the American Revolution erupted in 1775, American forces quickly commenced the Siege of Boston, and British forces made Castle William their primary stronghold. It was not until the Continental Army led by George Washington managed the fortification of Dorchester Heights that Castle William was threatened and the British evacuated Boston in March 1776. Before leaving Castle William, the British set fire to the fort, damaging it and its ordnance as best they could.
During the Revolutionary War, a fort called Fort Independence was built on Point Allerton in Hull, Massachusetts. In 1797, the name was transferred to the former Castle William, apparently leaving the fort in Hull without a name. That fort fell into disuse after the War of 1812. The site in Hull was named Fort Revere with a new fort built in the late 19th century.
American forces rebuilt the fort in 1776 and renamed it Fort Adams. In 1785, the legislature of Massachusetts designated the fort as a prison, in which capacity it served until 1805.
Recent media