Fort at the Port

As mentioned in a previous post, our travel plans for a Canadian rail trip are off this year. Instead, we're taking day trips and getaways (longer day trips) in NH and possibly other New England states for the remainder of 2020. 

Last week's day trip was in-state to a former NH military installation. It's now a state park and overlooks a port. Unlike some other places, no reservation was needed to visit.

View of Portsmouth Harbor from Fort Stark

Fort Stark is a 10-acre former military fortification situated on Jerry’s Point in New Castle, NH on the Southeast corner of New Castle Island. It overlooks the Piscataqua River, Little Harbor and the Atlantic Ocean. The water views were wonderful on the day we visited. The fort views, while impressive for their size and what remains, have expectedly suffered the rages of time and unfortunately vandalism. 

The fort is named in honor of NH native General John Stark, commander of NH forces at the 1777 Battle of Bennington. The state motto is attributed to Stark who, in an 1809 letter to veterans wrote: “Live free or die; death is not the worst of evils."

There were no descriptive signs at the fort remains on this self-guided. Admittedly, I'm not knowledgeable on military terms and history and learned about much of the fort's background from online sources.

Most of the surviving fort was developed in the early 20th century, following the Spanish–American War. There were several earlier fortifications on the site, portions of which survive. The fort, now a state historic site and state park, is open to the public who can view former military batteries, gun emplacements, an 1910 Ordnance Machine Shop (museum) and oil storage house.

Gun mounts at Fort Stark

Early forts were built to protect colonists. Fort Stark's purpose was to defend the harbor of nearby Portsmouth as it increased in importance and the Revolutionary shipbuilding industry expanded. It was one of seven New England forts built to protect Portsmouth Harbor. Three others are in NH: Fort Washington, Fort Constitution and Fort Dearborn (Odiorne Point State Park); and three in ME: Fort Sullivan, Fort McClary and Fort Foster.

The site of the present Fort Stark was first fortified in 1746 as Battery Cumberland. It was rebuilt in 1775 for the American Revolution, but guns were removed to arm other area forts. Later, guns captured at nearby Fort William and Mary were used to rearm the fort. In 1794, a new battery for nine guns was built on the site as part of the First System of U.S. fortifications. Harbor defense became more critical with the establishment of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in 1800.

In 1898, after the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, emergency batteries were constructed to quickly arm key points based on fears that the Spanish fleet would bombard the U.S. East Coast. The defense concept was to mine the harbors and erect gun batteries. At Fort Stark, these consisted of two 8-inch guns; removed in 1900 to make room for the new batteries at Fort Stark.

Construction on a new fort began in 1901 and was completed in 1905. The new defenses included four batteries. Facilities for controlling an underwater minefield in Portsmouth Harbor were added in 1907-1909. As with other U.S. seacoast forts, Fort Stark was garrisoned by the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps and became part of the Coast Defenses of Portsmouth with Fort Foster and Fort Constitution.

When the U.S. entered WW I some guns at Fort Stark were dismounted and sent to Europe for use on the Western Front on field carriages. These guns were sent to France and returned to the U.S. after the war, but not to Fort Stark. During WW II, the Harbor Defenses of Portsmouth were garrisoned by the 22nd Coast Artillery Regiment.

In 1942, a combined Army-Navy Harbor Entrance Control Post (HECP) and Harbor Defense Command Post (HDCP) were built atop the inactive Battery Kirk, disguised as a seaside mansion of that time. 

The design of this facility was unique to Fort Stark and included an SCR-682 radar, a WW II fixed seacoast artillery microwave radar set designed and built by Radiation Laboratory in Cambridge, MA. The SCR-682’s role in the HECP was management of harbor traffic and to identify hostile vessels/aircraft approaching the harbor. 

Fort Stark Harbor Entrance Command Post

In stateside installations, this radar was deployed in support of the HECP at each of the Harbor Defenses to identify and track approaching surface ships and aircraft. HECPs were often disguised as seaside homes or lighthouses. 

Battery Hunter's 12-inch guns remained in service until February 1945. The original Batteries Hays and Lytle were deactivated in 1942. The guns were scrapped and the fort was deactivated in 1948. 

Over the years, remains of the fort have become a favorite of graffiti artists. Wire fencing surrounds most of the structures; however, ring our visit, we watched people climbing over them despite numerous caution signs.

In 1950, Fort Stark was turned over to the U.S. Navy which used it for harbor defense purposes until 1953. It was used as a reserve training center for a Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit until 1980. The property was deeded to the state of New Hampshire in 1983 and established as the Fort Stark State Historic Site and later a state park.

Fort Stark Museum and Visitor's Center

A small museum in the Visitors' Center includes a single 3-inch gun and military artifacts and information about the 22nd Coastal Artillery headquartered here during WW II. We looked inside the museum briefly from an open door; it's currently closed through 2020, sadly another result of the corona virus pandemic.

Admission is free and the tour is self-guided. The park gate is open Memorial Day through Columbus Day with parking available from 8 am to 8 pm. 

We're planning a future return visit for the water views alone. It's a great place to social distance for an outing. Picnic tables are provided on the fort grounds.