Fort Standish
Posted by: 
Shorelander
N 42° 19.666 W 070° 55.580
19T E 341284 N 4687965
A WWII coastal defense fortification in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts.
Waymark Code: WM285N
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 09/20/2007
Views: 51
Lovells Island measures along its longest side 0.7 miles, and has been in Boston Harbor since being formed 14,000 years ago by glaciers. Natives used it as a hunting, gardening, and trading post. European colonizers dried fish there and raised rabbits and other livestock.
In 1786, a winter wreck on the island led to 13 deaths, including a young couple found frozen in embrace on "Lovers' Rock". This incident ignited efforts to organize shelters on the islands to protect people from the elements in case of emergency, leading to the formation of the US Life-Saving Service, which would evolve into today's Coast Guard.
A lighthouse maintenance facility was active from 1874-1912, and range light stations were maintained as well. But military use of the island began during the Spanish-American War in the 1890s with the construction of seven gun batteries from 1897 to 1908. At this point, Fort Standish was a subpost of Fort Warren on Georges Island, but with the outbreak of WWI, it was fully garrisoned.
WWII brought a reactivation of the fort, which at its peak included 60 structures. The main role of the fort was for coastal defense of Boston Harbor, and as such, the fort was equipped with several batteries, constructed roughly between 1900 and 1940. Artillery here included 10" deep-flanked retracting rifles on Battery Burbeck-Morris, two 3" anti-aircraft guns at Battery Strong Vincent, 90 mm anti-motor torpedo boat mounts at Battery Terrill, three 3" rapid-fire guns at Battery Williams, and two 6" guns at Battery Whipple. While the guns have been removed, the batteries remain, as do several fire control stations used to aim the guns and mortars and other remnants of the fort.
(Information obtained from a DCR self-guided tour brochure.)
Related Website: [Web Link]
Supplementary Related Website: [Web Link]
Admission Fee: Ferry prices for adults are $10-$12.
Opening Days/Times:
Ferries run to the island from June 23 to September 3. The first one arrives 9:55 AM and the last one leaves 5:15 PM. If you have a private boat, you can visit the island year-round, however.
|
Visit Instructions:
Posting a picture(s) of the location would be nice although not required.