Middletown Township near Highlands in Monmouth County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Battery Potter

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, September 20, 2009

1. Battery Potter Marker

Inscription. The army operated its first and only lift gun battery here from 1893 to 1906. Inside its cavernous galleries, two 12-inch guns could be raised to the surface for firing and lowered for loading and servicing. Concealed and protected from enemy fire, Potter’s rifled artillery could hammer battleships eight miles away.

The Lift Guns
Giant boilers fired, building up steam to power the guns’ hydraulic lifts. Half-ton projectiles brought from the magazine by rail cart are hoisted to the second floor loading area. The elevators raise the guns through the holes in the roof to the firing position. Total time for loading, ascending, firing and descending averaged more than six minutes. This was no match for the 30-second firing style of the disappearing guns installed in 1907 at nearby Battery Granger.

Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Military. A significant historical year for this entry is 1893.

Location. 40° 28.002′ N, 74° 0.143′ W. Marker is near Highlands, New Jersey, in Monmouth County. It is in Middletown Township. Marker is in the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area, at the north of the peninsula. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Highlands NJ 07732, United States of America. Touch for directions.

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At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Fort Hancock Officers’ Club (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Site of Master Mechanic’s Quarters (approx. 0.2 miles away); Battery Granger (approx. 0.2 miles away); The World War II Years (approx. 0.2 miles away); Mule Barn (approx. 0.2 miles away); Barracks, School, Headquarters (approx. 0.2 miles away); Fire House Number 1 (approx. 0.2 miles away); Hasty Additions in Wartime (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Highlands.

More about this marker. The upper left of the marker features a drawing of Battery Potter. The bottom of the marker features a layout of the interior of the battery, showing the location of the big gun.

Also see . . . Fort Hancock. NY Harbor Parks website. (Submitted on September 24, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, September 20, 2009

2. Battery Potter Marker

Marker in Fort Hancock image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, September 20, 2009

3. Marker in Fort Hancock

Entrance to Battery Potter image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, September 20, 2009

4. Entrance to Battery Potter

Battery Potter Shells image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, September 20, 2009

5. Battery Potter Shells

These 1000 pound projectiles are stored near the entrance to the battery.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 24, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 924 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 24, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.