Fort Nathan Hale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fort Nathan Hale
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The reconstructed Black Rock Fort at the Fort Nathan Hale historic site
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 Location in Connecticut
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| Location | S end of Woodward Ave., New Haven, Connecticut |
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| Area | 3 acres (1.2 ha) |
| Built | 1659, 1776 |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000711 |
| Added to NRHP | October 28, 1970 |
Fort Nathan Hale, also known as Fort Hale Park, Black Rock, is a 20-acre (8.1 ha) city park. It is located on the east side of New Haven Harbor in New Haven, Connecticut. This special place holds the history of three different forts. One fort was built in 1659. Another was built during the American Revolutionary War. A third fort was added during the American Civil War.
The fort is named after Nathan Hale, a famous hero from Connecticut. Since 1921, the state of Connecticut has owned this historic site. The City of New Haven helps take care of it as a park. They also offer fun educational programs for students all year long. This site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
A Look Back at Fort Nathan Hale
In 1776, the Connecticut Colony decided to build a fort. It was placed on a rocky point in the harbor. This fort was meant to protect New Haven from the British. An even older fort from around 1657 was already on this spot. The new fort was called Black Rock Fort.
Sadly, in 1779, British General William Tryon attacked. He raided many towns along the Connecticut coast. Black Rock Fort was captured, along with its nineteen defenders. They had bravely fought until they ran out of ammunition. The British then burned the fort's buildings before leaving.
Later, from 1807 to 1812, the old fort was rebuilt. It was given six guns and renamed Fort Nathan Hale. It helped protect the port again during the War of 1812.
In 1863, a new fort, Fort Nathan Hale II, was built next to the first one. This was during the American Civil War. People worried that Southern raiders might attack the city. This new fort had strong, underground bunkers. These bunkers were designed to protect against bombs. Even though it was built for battle, this fort never saw any action. It was partly taken down after the war ended.
Fort Nathan Hale Today: A Historic Park
Fort Nathan Hale has been known as a historic site since 1921. That year, the U.S. government gave the fort to the State of Connecticut. The State then asked the City of New Haven to take care of it. The site became a popular place for swimming and picnics.
However, pollution and a big storm in 1938 ended those activities. The site was left alone and became overgrown. The fort started to fall apart. In 1967, a group of people who cared about the fort started the Fort Nathan Hale Restoration Project. They wanted to fix and protect the fort.
Thanks to their hard work, Fort Nathan Hale was brought back to life. It was officially reopened on July 5, 1976. This was just in time for America's 200th birthday! Both Fort Nathan Hale and Black Rock Fort have been rebuilt. They now have a working drawbridge, a moat, and strong walls called ramparts. You can also see the powder magazines (where gunpowder was stored) and the "bombproof" bunker. The Fort Nathan Hale Restoration Project still raises money every year. This money helps keep the site running and looking great.
Besides the rebuilt forts, the park has a special flag court. Here, you can see copies of flags from different times in history. These include flags from the Colonial Era, the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. There is also a copy of the Nathan Hale statue by Bela Lyon Pratt. The original statue is at Yale University. This statue shows a young Nathan Hale with his hands tied behind his back. It shows him just before he was executed by the British. This happened because he was caught gathering secret information.
Each year, more than 7,000 visitors from all over the world come to explore this historic site.
