Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island in Richmond County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Fort Wadsworth
Gateway National Recreation Area
Fort Wadsworth side:
Point, counterpoint. As one nation improves its offensive weapons, another revamps its defenses. It’s the story of military history, and Fort Wadsworth tells it as well as any place in America.
British soldiers built the first known defenses on these bluffs in 1779. By controlling the Narrows, they secured New York throughout the Revolutionary War. Soon after the British left in 1783, the newly independent Americans moved in.
Over the next two centuries, the United States set up various defense systems here, then replaced them as weapons improved in distance, power, and accuracy. As you visit Fort Wadsworth, learn about its role in defending New York, the United States, and your freedom.
Gateway National Recreation Area side:
The three units of Gateway – Jamaica Bay/Breezy Point, Staten Island, and Sandy Hook – offer many opportunities for recreation. Together they contain 26,000 acres encompassing beaches, dunes, woodlands, bays, three forts, and two historic airfields.
Besides exploring Gateway’s natural and historic features, visitors can enjoy swimming, fishing, basketball, softball, football, soccer, and jogging. Or, do nothing but relax. However you spend your time, help preserve these resources for future generations
Staten Island Unit
Hugging the southeast side of Staten Island, this unit includes Fort Wadsworth., Miller Field, and Great Kills Park.
Jamaica Bay/Breezy Point Unit
This unit includes Fort Tilden, Jacob Riis Park, Floyd Bennett Field, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Canarsie Pier, and Plumb Beach.
Sandy Hook Unit
This unit of Gateway NRA – the only portion within New Jersey – includes beaches, Fort Hancock, and the Sandy Hook Lighthouse.
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • Military. A significant historical year for this entry is 1779.
Location. 40° 36.218′ N, 74° 3.483′ W. Marker is on Staten Island, New York, in Richmond County. It is in Fort Wadsworth. Marker is on New York Avenue, on the left when traveling south. Marker is located in the Fort Wadsworth Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area, in front of the Visitor Center. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Staten Island NY 10305, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Four Chaplains (within shouting distance of this marker); Dry Moat and Counterscarp (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Battery Duane (about 700 feet away); Father Capodanno Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named Fort Wadsworth (approx. 0.2 miles away); Fort Tompkins (approx. 0.2 miles away); Defending New York Harbor (approx. 0.2 miles away); Battery Weed (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Staten Island.
More about this marker. The background of the Fort Wadsworth marker contains a map of a walking trail to Fort Tompkins, Battery Duane, Battery Catlin, Battery Weed, Battery Bacon, Battery Turnbull, and Battery Turnbull.
Illustrations of Fort Wadsworth’s Defense Systems during different time periods appear at the top of the marker:
First System Defenses, 1794 – 1807; Second System Defenses, 1807 – 1817; Third System Defenses, 1817 – 1876 (which includes Battery Weed); and Endicott System Defenses, 1890 – 1910.
Several photographs are on the marker’s left side. The top photo shows “The first Fort Tompkins, shown on a bluff, and Fort Richmond along the shore in 1839.” Below this is a photo of the second Fort Tompkins and Battery Weed, which replaced the fortifications in the first photos by the 1870s. The bottom two photos depict infantry soldiers drilling on the parade grounds inside Fort Tompkins about 1920, and Officers’ houses on Mont Sec Avenue.
The bottom of the marker features a photograph of the view of New York Harbor from the plaza overlook.
The Gateway National Recreation Area marker contains photographs taken at the various units of the park.
Also see . . . Gateway National Recreation Area. National Park Service website. (Submitted on August 16, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 16, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 1,095 times since then and 50 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 16, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 6. submitted on July 16, 2017, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 7. submitted on May 10, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.