| Fort Jay Fort Columbus | |
|---|---|
| Part of Governors Island | |
| New York County, New York, United States | |
 | |
| Type | Fortification |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Public - National Park Service |
| Controlled by | United States of America |
| Open to the public | Yes |
Fort Jay | |
New York City Landmark No. 0543
| |
    | |
| Coordinates | 40°41′28.89″N 74°0′57.63″W / 40.6913583°N 74.0160083°W |
| Visitation | 126,000 (2008) |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001268 |
| NYCL No. | 0543 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | March 27, 1974[1] |
| Designated NYCL | September 19, 1967 |
| Condition | Good |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1794, 1806, 1833 |
| Built by | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jonathan Williams |
| In use | 1794-1997 |
| Materials | Sandstone, Granite, Brick |
Fort Jay is a coastal bastion fort and the name of a former United States Army post on Governors Island in New York Harbor, within New York City. Fort Jay is the oldest existing defensive structure on the island, and was named for John Jay, a member of the Federalist Party, New York governor, Chief Justice of the United States, Secretary of State, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. It was built in 1794 to defend Upper New York Bay, but has served other purposes. From 1806 to 1904 it was named Fort Columbus, presumably for explorer Christopher Columbus. Today, the National Park Service administers Fort Jay and Castle Williams as the Governors Island National Monument.