Fort Monmouth facts for kids
Fort Monmouth was once a big base for the Department of the Army in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Now, it's becoming a huge film studio for Netflix! The area is surrounded by towns like Eatontown, Tinton Falls, and Oceanport, all in New Jersey. It's only about 5 miles (8 km) from the Atlantic Ocean and about an hour and 15 minutes south of Manhattan by car.
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Where is Fort Monmouth?
Fort Monmouth is located close to some fun spots. It's about a 10-minute drive from Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park and Long Branch Beach on the famous Jersey Shore. The main part of the base, called 'Main Post,' covered nearly 1,126 acres (4.56 km²) of land. It stretched from the Shrewsbury River in the east to Route 35 in the west.
There was also a separate area called Camp Charles Wood. This part had homes for soldiers, a golf course, and more offices and labs. A train track, owned by Conrail, even ran through Camp Charles Wood. The base was like a small town! It had its own store (Post Exchange), a health clinic, a gas station, and other useful places.
After the September 11 attacks in 2001, the fort was closed to the public. Only people with special permission could drive through. But in 2017, the main road through the fort was opened again for everyone.
What the Army Did There
Fort Monmouth was home to many important Army groups. These groups worked on researching and managing special communication and intelligence systems. They focused on things like Command and Control, Communications, Computing, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR). This means they developed technology to help the Army talk to each other, gather information, and understand what's happening.
Other important groups also had offices at the fort. These included the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the National Security Agency (NSA).
Why Fort Monmouth Closed
In 2005, a government group called the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) decided to close Fort Monmouth. This was part of a plan to reorganize military bases across the country. Most of the Army's jobs and people had to move to other Army bases in Maryland (like Aberdeen Proving Ground) and Ohio by 2011.
Fort Monmouth officially closed on September 15, 2011. However, it was briefly reopened in December 2012. This was to help people from Paulsboro evacuate after a train crash.
Netflix Studios Fort Monmouth
In October 2022, Netflix made a big announcement. They signed a deal to build a huge, modern film studio called Netflix Studios Fort Monmouth. This studio will be on almost 300 acres of the old Army base. New Jersey has seen many film productions recently. This is thanks to a new program that gives tax breaks for making movies and TV shows in the state. As of March 2024, Netflix has started planning the layout for the site.
The Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA) helped Netflix get this deal done. FMERA is the group in charge of redeveloping the fort. Netflix bought the land for $55 million. They plan to invest $850 million into building the new studio. This project is expected to create about 1,500 permanent jobs in the area.
On December 21, 2022, Governor Phil Murphy called Netflix's purchase a "transformative investment" for New Jersey. The mayors of Eatontown and Oceanport were also very happy. They believe the project will bring a lot of economic growth and positive changes to the community. People living in Oceanport and Eatontown generally had good things to say about it. It's thought that this film studio could bring in up to $4.6 billion in revenue over the next 20 years.
The new studio will be easy to reach. It's close to public transportation like NJ Transit train lines, the Garden State Parkway, and New Jersey State Route 35. The planned campus will be very large, between 180,000 and 480,000 square feet. It will have 12 sound stages, many production buildings, and office spaces. Governor Phil Murphy even wrote a letter to Netflix. He asked them to choose New Jersey over a property in Georgia. This was because of some changes in Georgia's voting laws.
On February 21, 2024, FMERA approved a change to the zoning rules for the project. This allows Netflix to move forward with their plans for the complex.
Other New Businesses at the Fort
By the end of 2023, several new businesses had opened at the old Fort Monmouth Commissary. This building used to provide food and groceries for military personnel. Now, it hosts a microbrewery, a special foods business, and a large entertainment venue. This venue offers fine dining, live music, virtual golf, and other sports viewing.
RWJ Barnabas Health, a healthcare provider, is also redeveloping part of Fort Monmouth. In December 2022, they bought the former Myer Center building for $8 million. They plan to replace it with an extension of their medical campus. The new buildings will include an ambulatory care pavilion (for patients who don't stay overnight) and a cancer center.
In 2021, the old Fort Monmouth Marina was bought by restaurant owners. It's now known as the Marina at Oceanport. There are also plans for more shops, homes, restaurants, and a hotel in the area.
History of Fort Monmouth
The story of Fort Monmouth began when the Army rented a closed horse racing track in Eatontown. This location was perfect because it was near train lines and a port. It was first called Camp Little Silver, then Camp Alfred Vail in September 1917. The Army bought Camp Vail in 1919. The Signal Corps School, which trains soldiers in communications, moved there that same year.
In August 1925, the base became a permanent Army post and was renamed Fort Monmouth. It was named to honor the soldiers who died in the American Revolutionary War's Battle of Monmouth. The first permanent building was built in 1928. More buildings were added to house other Army groups.
Important Inventions and Discoveries
Fort Monmouth was a place of many important scientific breakthroughs.
- In 1928, the first radio-equipped weather balloon reached the upper atmosphere. This was a big step for how we predict weather today.
- In 1938, the U.S. Army developed its first radar system there. Radar uses radio waves to detect objects. A radar system developed at Fort Monmouth actually detected the Japanese air attack on Pearl Harbor. However, the warning was not believed at the time.
- In 1946, scientists at Fort Monmouth proved that communication with space was possible. They used radar to bounce radio signals off the moon! This was part of a project called Project Diana.
During the late 20th century, Fort Monmouth was also home to the US Army Chaplain Center and School. This is where soldiers trained to become Chaplain Assistants and Chaplains.
World War II and Beyond
During World War II, Fort Monmouth grew much larger. More land was bought for Camp Coles, Camp Charles Wood, and Camp Evans. At its busiest during the war, Fort Monmouth covered 1,713 acres (6.93 km²). It had space for many thousands of soldiers. The Signal Corps Officer Candidate School at the fort trained over 21,000 new officers between 1941 and 1946.
After the war, more communication units moved to Fort Monmouth. This even included a Pigeon Breeding and Training Center! The Army used pigeons to carry messages. However, the pigeon service ended in 1957.
Special effects artist Harry Redmond, Jr. also designed a new film studio at Fort Monmouth during World War II. This was for the Army Film Training Lab.
The Rosenbergs and Fort Monmouth
A man named Julius Rosenberg worked as a radar inspector at Fort Monmouth in the early 1940s. He was later accused of sharing secret plans with the Soviet Union. Documents released after the Cold War showed that Julius Rosenberg was indeed a spy. This led to a lot of concern and suspicion at Fort Monmouth. Some people even lost their jobs just because they had the same last name as someone accused of being a spy.
Fort Monmouth's Final Years as an Army Base
Before it was chosen for closure, Fort Monmouth was home to the CECOM Life Cycle Management Command (CECOM LCMC). This group was a leader in developing and supporting C4ISR systems for the Army. Even though the main Signal Corps moved to Georgia in the 1970s, Fort Monmouth was still called the "Soul of the Signal Corps."
The fort also had the official Time capsule of the Army Signal Corps. It was moved to Georgia in 2010. Fort Monmouth also features the Avenue of Memories. This is a special area with trees and monuments honoring Signal Corps soldiers who died in World War II.
Many different Army groups and offices were located at Fort Monmouth. These included:
- The United States Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM), which helped support communication and electronics systems.
- The United States Army CECOM Contracting Center (CCCE), which handled contracts for Army systems.
- The United States Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC), which researched new technologies. This included things like Night Vision Goggles (NVGs) and equipment to protect against bombs.
Other important groups at the fort included:
- The Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC), which made sure different military branches could work together.
- The United States Military Academy Preparatory School, which prepared 250 students each year to enter the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY. This school moved to West Point in 2011.
- The 754th Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit, which responded to emergencies involving explosives across several states.
- The Patterson Army Health Clinic, which provided healthcare to military members, their families, and over 7,000 veterans.
Most of the people working at Fort Monmouth were civilians. They were either government employees or worked for companies that had contracts with the military.
Fort Monmouth was also known for its SunEagles Golf Course. It was one of the best military golf courses in the country. Now, it's open to the public. High school students living on the base attended Monmouth Regional High School in Tinton Falls.
The Closure Process
The the Pentagon first suggested closing Fort Monmouth in May 2005. The BRAC commission voted to close the base in August 2005. President George Bush and Congress agreed with this decision. Some politicians tried to stop the closure, but their appeal was rejected.
The Department of Defense (DoD) thought closing Fort Monmouth would lead to the loss of about 9,737 jobs. However, they also believed it would save about $1 billion in the long run.
But in 2007, an investigation by the Asbury Park Press found that the cost of moving everything from Fort Monmouth had doubled. It went from $780 million to $1.5 billion. Plus, New Jersey's economy would lose $3.3 billion. Maryland would also need to spend an estimated $16 billion to prepare for the new jobs. Because of these issues, a committee in Congress looked into the BRAC decision again. The final closing ceremony for Fort Monmouth was held on September 15, 2011.
Redeveloping the Land
After Fort Monmouth closed, plans began to redevelop the land. On April 28, 2006, Governor of New Jersey Jon Corzine signed a law to create a group called the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Planning Authority (FMERPA). This group was meant to plan how to reuse the fort's land.
Later, a new group called the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA) was created. This group helps bring new businesses and jobs to the communities affected by the fort's closure. FMERA focuses on attracting technology-based industries to the 1,126 acres (456 ha) of land.
FMERA holds meetings at its headquarters, which is in the old post library in Oceanport. They also have to announce opportunities for groups that help homeless people in Monmouth County.
In December 2016, Monmouth County provided $33 million. This allowed FMERA to buy 560 acres (227 ha) of land from the Army. As part of this deal, the main road through the base was rebuilt. This allowed the public to drive through the fort for the first time since 2001. The road reopened on January 17, 2017.
The Netflix deal came after years of trying to find new uses for the property. In 2021, there was a plan to create an arts community at the fort. But construction delays and the COVID-19 pandemic caused that project to be canceled.
In 2022, the town of Eatontown approved a plan to build 275 new homes where the fort's old housing used to be. Some of these homes will be affordable housing. FMERA also suggested adding a gas station, grocery store, and restaurant near these new homes.
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