Fort Standish (Plymouth, Massachusetts) facts for kids

This page is about the fort in Plymouth, Massachusetts. For other locations, see Fort Standish.

Quick facts for kids Fort Standish
Saquish Head, Plymouth, Massachusetts
Coordinates	41°59′43.13″N 70°37′53.85″W
Type	Coastal defense
Site information
Owner	private
Open to the public	no
Condition	earthworks remain
Site history
Built	1863
In use	1863–1870
Materials	earthworks
Battles/wars	American Civil War

Fort Standish was a fort built in 1863 for the American Civil War on Saquish Head in Plymouth, Massachusetts. It was named for Myles Standish, military leader of the Plymouth Colony in the 1620s, and augmented the nearby Fort Andrew on Gurnet Point. It was designed and constructed under the supervision of Major Charles E. Blunt of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The fort had five gun emplacements with five 8-inch smoothbore guns, along with a bombproof shelter, two magazines, and a well. Outside the fort were a barracks, officers' quarters, and a mess hall. From January to June 1865 the fort was garrisoned by the 27th Unattached Company of Massachusetts militia.

The fort was placed in caretaker status following the Civil War, remaining so at least through World War I. The military reservation was purchased by the federal government and declared inactive in 1870. Reportedly, the fort and/or the reservation were used in the Spanish–American War and World War I. The land was sold in 1925 to a private buyer.