Oak's Inn Military Reservation facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oak's Inn Military Reservation |
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Part of Harbor Defenses of Long Island Sound | |
Misquamicut, Rhode Island | |
![]() A 155 mm gun, similar to those at Oak's Inn, on a Panama mount.
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Coordinates | 41°20′00″N 71°48′21″W / 41.33333°N 71.80583°W |
Type | Coastal Defense |
Site information | |
Owner | private |
Controlled by | United States Army |
Open to the public |
no |
Site history | |
Built | 1942 |
Built by | United States Army |
In use | 1942–1944 |
Demolished | circa 1990s |
Battles/wars | World War II |
The Oak's Inn Military Reservation was a special military area built to protect the coast. It was located in Misquamicut, Rhode Island, near the town of Westerly. This site helped guard the Harbor Defenses of Long Island Sound. Today, houses stand where the military site once was.
A Look Back: Oak's Inn Military Site
The Oak's Inn Military Reservation was built in 1942, right next to an inn with the same name. This site was designed to hold four large cannons called 155 mm (6.1 inch) guns. These guns were placed on special round concrete platforms known as "Panama mounts." These mounts allowed the guns to turn and aim in different directions.
There was a plan to build even bigger guns here, two huge 16-inch (406 mm) guns. However, these super-large guns were never actually built at Oak's Inn. The military site was only used for a short time. It was closed down, or "deactivated," in 1944.
What's There Now?
By the 2000s, both the old military site and the nearby inn were completely torn down. This area was then used to build new homes. So, if you visit today, you won't find any of the original military structures.