Fort Tilden

Fort Tilden
Part of Harbor Defenses of Southern New York
Queens, New York
View of the abandoned fort in June 2020
Type
Site information
Controlled byU.S. Army
Site history
Built1917–1924
In use1917–1995
Fort Tilden Historic District
View of the 16" gun Casemate in March 2021
Fort Tilden is located in New York City
Fort Tilden
Fort Tilden is located in New York
Fort Tilden
Fort Tilden is located in the United States
Fort Tilden
LocationRockaway Beach Blvd., New York, New York
Coordinates40°34′N 73°53′W / 40.567°N 73.883°W / 40.567; -73.883
Built1917
ArchitectU. S. Army
NRHP reference No.84002917
Added to NRHPApril 20, 1984[1]
Garrison information
Garrison5/5th Field Artillery, 187th Infantry Brigade (late 1960s through 1995)
A 16-inch gun in Panama, generally similar to the original installations at Fort Tilden in the 1920s.

Fort Tilden, also known as Fort Tilden Historic District, is a former United States Army installation on the coast in the New York City borough of Queens. Fort Tilden now forms part of the Gateway National Recreation Area, and is administered by the National Park Service.

Fort Tilden Historic District is located on the Rockaway Peninsula, between Jacob Riis Park to the east and Breezy Point Tip to the west. All three of these sites are operated by the National Park Service.[2]

Since its decommissioning, the former installation has largely become a natural area of beaches, dunes and maritime forest. Most of the old military installations are abandoned, and military structures which formerly housed artillery (batteries) and ammunition (magazines) are covered in graffiti. A few buildings have been renovated and are used by local arts groups, and some large open areas are used as sports grounds. Atop one of the old batteries, Battery Harris East, a viewing platform has 360-degree views that include the city, New York Harbor, and the Atlantic Ocean. The wilder parts of Fort Tilden are popular with bird-watchers and other nature-lovers, and the beach areas are frequently used for fishing.[3]

A view of the beach at Fort Tilden
  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. ^ New York Harbor Map National Parks of New York Harbor Conservancy. Accessed November 18, 2008
  3. ^ Kilgannon, Corey. To the Battlements, and Take Sunscreen: The Joys of Fort Tilden. July 21, 2006. New York Times. Accessed November 18, 2008.