Fort Stevens (Oregon) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Fort Stevens
Warrenton, Clatsop County, Oregon

Type	Military base
Site information
Controlled by	United States Army
Condition	Preserved
Site history
Built	1863
In use	1863–1947
Materials	Concrete, steel
Battles/wars	Bombardment of Fort Stevens
Events

Fort Stevens
U.S. National Register of Historic Places

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Location	Fort Stevens State Park, Hammond, Oregon
Area	542 acres (219 ha)
Built	1863 (1863)
NRHP reference No.	71000678
Added to NRHP	September 22, 1971

Fort Stevens was an important American military base in Oregon. It was built to guard the mouth of the Columbia River. The fort was named after Isaac I. Stevens, a Civil War general and former governor of Washington Territory.

Fort Stevens was an active military site from 1863 until 1947. Today, it is a special place listed on the National Register of Historic Places. You can visit it as an Oregon state park near Warrenton.

Fort Stevens: A Historic Oregon Fort
Gallery
See also

Fort Stevens: A Historic Oregon Fort

Building a Fort for Protection

Interior of the abandoned fort

Fort Stevens was first built between 1863 and 1864. It was created during the American Civil War as a dirt fort, called an "earthwork battery." This early fort was on the south side of the Columbia River's entrance. It was first known as the Fort at Point Adams.

In 1865, the fort was renamed Fort Stevens. This honored Isaac Stevens, who had been killed in battle during the Civil War. Fort Stevens was the main part of a defense system for the Columbia River. This system included two other forts, Fort Canby and Fort Columbia, on the Washington side of the river. The fort's job was to protect the river from possible attacks. It was especially important during times of tension with Great Britain, like the Pig War and the Alaska Boundary Dispute.

Shipwreck Story: The Peter Iredale

In 1906, a famous event happened near Fort Stevens. A sailing ship called the Peter Iredale got stuck on the sand. Its crew found safety at Fort Stevens. You can still see the remains of this shipwreck today within Fort Stevens State Park. It's a popular spot for visitors!

Fort Stevens in World War II

Battery Russell is still accessible for visitors

After World War I, the U.S. Navy set up a radio station at Fort Stevens. This station helped communicate with naval ships. In 1932, a secret radio station was also placed there. Its job was to listen to and understand coded messages from the Japanese navy. Special radio operators, known as the "On-the-Roof-Gang," worked at this listening post.

Under Attack!

Fort Stevens made history during World War II. On the night of June 21–22, 1942, a Japanese submarine called the I-25 appeared off the coast. It fired 17 shells from its large deck gun. This made Fort Stevens the first military base in the Contiguous United States to be attacked by an enemy during World War II.

Luckily, the attack did not damage the fort itself. The shells only hit the backstop of the fort's baseball field. Soldiers from the 249th Coast Artillery and the 18th Coast Artillery were stationed at Fort Stevens during the war.

After the War: A Park is Born

Fort Stevens was officially closed down in 1947. All its weapons were removed, and its buildings were sold. The land was first given to the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Then, in 1975, it became part of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.

Explore Fort Stevens State Park Today

Today, much of the old Fort Stevens is preserved within Fort Stevens State Park. This park is also part of the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. It covers about 3,700 acres (15 km2) and offers many fun activities.

You can go camping, enjoy the beach, or swim at Coffenbury Lake. There are also trails for hiking and biking, and a museum about the fort's military history. Fort Stevens State Park is very popular, with over a million visitors each year. The park has many campsites, including ones for RVs and cabins. There are more than nine miles of paved bike trails, great fishing spots, and the historic shipwreck to explore. You can even take tours of the old military batteries underground!

Fort Stevens on TV

Fort Stevens has even been featured on television! An episode of Ghost Adventures called "Graveyard of the Pacific: Commander's House" explored the fort in 2018. The show investigated Battery Mishler, an old artillery station with underground tunnels. People have reported seeing a shadowy figure in the Magazine room there. The fort is also said to be haunted by a soldier named August Stallberger, who died mysteriously in 1868.

Gallery

Buildings at Fort Stevens
Fort Stevens in 1900.
Bunker along the fort.
Battery 245, two 6-inch guns on shielded barbette carriages, built in World War II. The battery's ammunition and fire control bunker is behind the gun.
Artillery gun.
249th Coast Artillery, Living History Group.