Fort Independence (Massachusetts)

"Castle William" redirects here. For the fort on New York's Governors Island, see Castle Williams.
Fort Independence
Fort Independence (Massachusetts) is located in Massachusetts
Fort Independence (Massachusetts)
Fort Independence (Massachusetts) is located in the United States
Fort Independence (Massachusetts)
LocationCastle Island, Boston, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°20′17″N 71°0′42″W / 42.33806°N 71.01167°W / 42.33806; -71.01167
Area15 acres (6.1 ha)
Built1634
NRHP reference No.70000921[1]
Added to NRHPOctober 15, 1970

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.[2][3] 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.[4] 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.[5]

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ^ Wilson, 312.
  3. ^ Fort Constitution at NorthAmericanForts.com
  4. ^ Roberts, pp. 402-404
  5. ^ Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation