Stage Fort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stage Fort |
|
|---|---|
| Stage Fort Park, Gloucester, Massachusetts | |
Stage Fort across Gloucester Harbor, 1862 painting including the Stage Fort by Fitz Henry Lane
|
|
 Stage Fort
Stage Fort
Location in Massachusetts
|
|
| Coordinates | 42°36′18″N 70°40′33″W / 42.60500°N 70.67583°W |
| Type | Coastal defense |
| Site information | |
| Owner | City of Gloucester |
| Open to the public |
yes |
| Condition | reconstructed |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1635 |
| In use | circa 1635–1898 |
| Materials | earthworks |
| Battles/wars | American Revolutionary War War of 1812 American Civil War |
Stage Fort was an old fort that stood from 1635 to 1898. It was located on a place called Stage Head, which is now part of Stage Fort Park in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
Stage Head got its name from a fishing "stage," which was a platform used for drying fish. This platform was there when the first settlers arrived around 1624. The area was first made stronger with defenses in 1635. Soldiers were stationed there on and off until the Spanish–American War.
History of Stage Fort
After the first fort was built in 1635, it was improved many times. In 1703, during Queen Anne's War, a simple fortified wall called a breastwork was added.
For King George's War in 1743, new breastworks and a platform for eight large 12-pounder cannon were built. The fort was fixed up again around 1754 for the French and Indian War.
Another breastwork was built in October 1775 for the American Revolutionary War. During the War of 1812, the fort was repaired, and a building for soldiers, called a barracks, was added.
Around 1862, the fort was made new again for the American Civil War. It was supervised by Major Charles E. Blunt and renamed Fort Conant. This name honored Roger Conant, an early settler. He arrived at Stage Head around 1626 and is known as the first governor of the Cape Ann colony.
A map of the fort from 1864 shows openings for four guns and a place to store ammunition, called a magazine. A list from January 31, 1865, shows three 32-pounder guns were set up there. Also, the Eastern Point Fort was built in 1863 closer to the harbor entrance. In the Spanish–American War of 1898, a military camp called Camp Hobson was located at or near Stage Fort.
Stage Fort Today
The fort was rebuilt for visitors in 1930. It was rebuilt again in 1973, and old-style cannons were added. Today, you can visit Stage Fort in Stage Fort Park. The park also has Gloucester's welcome center for people visiting the area.
Other Names for the Fort
Over its long history, the fort on Stage Head has been known by many names. Besides Stage Fort and Fort Conant, it was also called Fort Gloucester, Fort Point, Fort Eastern Point, and other similar names. During the Civil War, when it was Fort Conant, it was sometimes called Fort Banks, Fort Cross, or Fort Allen. The name Eastern Point might refer to the Eastern Point Fort, which was built in 1863 across the harbor. The name Fort Point is also used for the land where another fort, Fort Defiance, was built.
