Castle Williams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Castle Williams |
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| Governors Island, New York City | |
View from the Staten Island Ferry on New York Harbor
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| Type | Circular fort |
| Height | 40 feet |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Public - National Park Service |
| Controlled by | United States of America |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
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Castle Williams
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 Location in New York City
Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Visitation | 126,000 (2008) |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000864 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | July 31, 1972 |
| Condition | Fair |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1807 |
| Built by | Jonathan Williams |
| In use | 1808-1840s |
| Materials | Sandstone, Granite, Brick |
Castle Williams is a cool, round fort made of red sandstone. It sits on the northwest tip of Governors Island in New York City. This fort was built a long time ago, in the early 1800s. Its main job was to help protect New York City from attacks by ships.
Today, Castle Williams is a famous sight in New York Harbor. It is managed by the National Park Service, along with Fort Jay, as part of the Governors Island National Monument.
Contents
Building a Strong Fort
Castle Williams was designed and built between 1807 and 1811. The person in charge was Jonathan Williams. He was a chief engineer for the United States Army Corps of Engineers. He also helped start the United States Military Academy at West Point. Jonathan Williams was even related to the famous Benjamin Franklin!
This fort was part of a bigger plan to protect New York Harbor. Other forts like Castle Clinton in Manhattan and Fort Wood on Liberty Island were also part of this defense system.
A Special Design
Castle Williams had a very new design for its time. It had several levels of enclosed rooms for cannons, called casemates. This design became a model for other forts built in America during the 1800s.
The fort is about 40 feet tall and 210 feet wide. Its walls are made of sandstone and are 7 to 8 feet thick! Each of its four levels could hold 26 cannons. The top level was actually meant for soldiers to live in, not for cannons.
Before the fort was even finished, it was named after its designer. On November 24, 1810, an Army order said the stone tower would be called "CASTLE WILLIAMS." This was to honor Jonathan Williams, who designed and built it.
Castle Williams During the Civil War
During the American Civil War (1861-1865), Castle Williams had several uses. It housed new soldiers joining the Union Army. It also served as a place for the fort's own soldiers to live. Sadly, it was also used to hold Confederate soldiers who were captured. Union soldiers who left the army without permission were also kept there.
After the Civil War ended in 1865, Castle Williams became a low-security military prison. It also continued to house new soldiers and those passing through. By the 1880s, the fort was getting old. Its walls were showing wear and tear. In 1895, the fort was updated with things like central heating and plumbing. It was then named one of the U.S. Army's ten military prisons.
A Military Prison
In the early 1900s, leaders decided to keep and improve the forts on Governors Island. Between 1901 and 1912, the island itself actually doubled in size because of new land added!
In 1903, Castle Williams was made into a modern prison. It likely got electricity around 1904. Later, in 1912-1913, the entrance walls were changed to create a two-story guardhouse. Stones from old buildings were used for this.
The fort became a branch of a larger military prison system in 1915 and 1921. More updates happened in the 1930s. The plumbing, heating, and electrical systems were all redone. The floors and roof were also made stronger with steel. Special cells were added on the second and third levels.
More big changes happened in 1947-1948. The courtyard got a more industrial look. Concrete balconies replaced old wooden ones. New concrete floors and brick walls were put into the cannon rooms on the second level.
Castle Williams stopped being a military prison in 1965. This happened when the U.S. Army closed its base at Fort Jay.
Protecting History
The U.S. Coast Guard moved to Governors Island in 1966. At first, they thought about tearing down Castle Williams. But instead, they turned it into a community center! It had a nursery for kids, meeting rooms for scouts, art studios, and even a museum.
In the mid-1970s, these community activities moved to other places on the island. Castle Williams then became a storage building and a workshop for the Coast Guard. When the Coast Guard base on Governors Island closed in 1997, engineers worked to fix up the building. They replaced windows, repaired stones, and put on a new roof.
In 2003, Castle Williams and Fort Jay were given to the National Park Service. They are now part of the Governors Island National Monument. Castle Williams is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site.
See also
In Spanish: Castle Williams para niños
