Freedom’s Fortress. Gibraltar of the Chesapeake. America’s largest stone fortress. Fort Monroe is legendary for lots of causes. And now, guests can stroll the halls as soon as traveled by presidents and poets.
Fort Monroe Nationwide Monument was established in 2011. The Nationwide Park Service maintains the grounds – areas just like the seawall path and seashores – whereas the Fort Monroe Authority manages the customer middle and museum. The federal government entities maintain the historic fort well-maintained and entertaining for guests.
Discover out what you are able to do with a day journey go to to Fort Monroe Nationwide Monument, the tales behind the monikers, and a few fascinating folks linked to this website on the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia.
Nationwide Park Service App
The official Nationwide Park Service app is an all-in-one instrument for planning a nationwide park journey and discovering your manner across the park. The app has details about each nationwide park website throughout the nation, basically placing all the web data at your fingertips.
The free app options interactive maps, self-guided excursions, facilities like restrooms, and lists of issues to do. The highly effective app has an offline mode – with a single faucet, it can save you the park for offline use to entry all the data later. You’ll even have entry to necessary data like alerts, contacts, charges, and working hours.
Fort Monroe Nationwide Monument Map
Find out how to use this map: Click on the icon within the top-left nook to open the Map Legend, then click on on any of the legend objects to show extra data. In case you have a Google account, click on the (very faint) star on the finish of the map’s title to avoid wasting this map to your account, then entry the map out of your smartphone throughout your journey.
Zoom out to see the lodging choices.
The Historical past of Fort Monroe
Shortly after Captain John Smith and the Virginia Firm landed within the New World, this small level was scouted for a fortification to guard the younger colony. In 1609, Fort Algernourne was accomplished. It was a picket fort with 7 mounted canons manned by 50 colonists.
Throughout the Warfare of 1812, British forces entered the Chesapeake Bay unchallenged and burned the nation’s capital. After the warfare, Congress appropriated practically 1,000,000 {dollars} to develop the Third System of Forts. A fee appointed by President James Monroe recognized potential websites across the nation’s coast for brand new forts.
Work started in 1819 on the fort named after the president on the time. Overseen by Simon Bernard, the fort was sarcastically constructed utilizing slave labor. When accomplished in 1834, the perimeter wall was 1.3 miles lengthy and 10 toes thick, making it the biggest stone fortification ever in-built America.
Fort Monroe remained in federal management all through the Civil Warfare. On Could 27, 1861, three escaped enslaved folks – Frank Baker, James Townsend, and Sheppard Mallory – arrived on the fort in search of their freedom. Main Normal Benjamin Butler made the controversial and pivotal determination of declaring the boys “contraband.” Since Virginia thought of the boys property, however the state had seceded from the USA, the Fugitive Slave Act not utilized. And seized property was a spoil of warfare.
The choice led to the fort’s eternal nickname – Freedom’s Fortress.
Fort Monroe Customer and Schooling Middle
The Fort Monroe Customer and Schooling Middle was in-built 1909 because the Coast Artillery Library. The constructing stands exterior the mote surrounding the fort. It’s a wonderful place to start exploring the free nationwide park website.
The 16,000-square-foot constructing options reveals in regards to the fort’s lengthy historical past. Archives can be found upon request for finding out components of the fort’s historical past.
Casemate Museum
The Casemate Museum is a captivating alternative to discover contained in the fort’s partitions – an space known as the casemate. Traditionally, the casemates served as dwelling quarters, operational amenities, and artillery emplacements. However there are a couple of hidden components of historical past which might be unbelievable to discover.
The Casemate Museum consists of the Jefferson Davis Cell. Over a month after Normal Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse, the Accomplice president was arrested in Georgia. He was transported to Fort Monroe and confined to a humid cell for practically six months. He was finally moved to higher lodging within the fort at Carroll Corridor, however he was by no means delivered to trial.
One other illustrious resident was the poet Edgar Allan Poe. Beneath the alias “Edgar A. Perry,” he served in the USA Military for 2 years. He was briefly stationed at Fort Monroe earlier than abruptly resigning to attend West Level. An exhibit within the Casemate Museum expands on his army profession – and fees of dereliction of responsibility for spending this time writing poems.
1619 African Touchdown Memorial
A current – and controversial – growth at Fort Monroe Nationwide Monument is the institution of the 1619 African Touchdown Memorial. Present analysis signifies the primary enslaved African People bought within the Colonies occurred at this level.
After raiding a Portuguese ship within the Caribbean, the White Lion traveled to Fort Algernourne and traded “20 and odd” Africans for items. It’s the earliest documented commerce of enslaved folks in North America.
Predominant Gate
There are two immeasurably fascinating facets of Fort Monroe Nationwide Monument. First, it’s nonetheless surrounded by a 5-foot-deep watery mote. Second, guests can drive autos into the 63-acre inside of the fort.
The Predominant Gate was the primary portion of the fort to be accomplished in 1820. However the gate isn’t precisely as much as present codes – it has a 12’3” clearance however just one lane large. A visitors gentle controls visitors out and in.
It’s a captivating expertise driving a contemporary automobile inside a virtually 200-year-old fort.
Flagstaff Bastion
The Flagstaff Bastion affords the very best view anyplace inside Fort Monroe Nationwide Monument. One of many seven bastions across the fort, this one encompasses a towering flagpole beside the platforms that when supported mounted artillery.
The Flagstaff Bastion is accessible with a protracted ramp. The angle is barely steep.
On the high, guests are handled to a shocking view of the Chesapeake Bay. To the left is the Previous Level Consolation Lighthouse. To the proper is the waterfront Continental Park. And straight forward is the Hampton Highway Tunnel – a piece of Interstate 643 that dips beneath the water’s floor.
Previous Level Consolation Lighthouse
When Captain John Smith and his weary settlers lastly landed in 1607, they known as it Level Consolation.
The Previous Level Consolation Lighthouse was one of many first maritime lighthouses constructed by the USA. Accomplished in 1802 and lit in 1803, it’s additionally one of many few remaining lighthouses on the Chesapeake Bay.
Satirically, the British used it as a lookout tower throughout the Warfare of 1812.
The lighthouse is just not open to the general public as a result of it’s nonetheless lively.
Constructing #1 – Previous Quarters
Accomplished in 1819, Constructing #1 is the oldest constructing in Fort Monroe. For practically the primary century, it served because the commander’s quarters. When Main Normal Benjamin Butler issued the pivotal “contraband determination” in 1861, these had been his dwelling quarters.
President Abraham Lincoln used the quarters when he visited Fort Monroe in 1862. Throughout his transient keep, the president visited Hampton, inspected the USS Monitor, and coordinated a marketing campaign to seize Norfolk.
Constructing #17 – Lee’s Quarters
Accomplished in 1823 as an officer’s quarters, Constructing #17’s most well-known tenant was Lieutenant Robert E. Lee. He was stained at Fort Monroe from 1831 till 1834, overseeing the ultimate building of the fort, together with the mote.
Throughout depart in 1831, Lee married Mary Custis, the great-granddaughter of Martha Washington from her first marriage. The married couple lived within the quarters. In 1832, Custis Lee was born in the home.
Chapel of the Centurion
Spiritual providers at Fort Monroe started often in 1825 throughout the fort’s building. In 1858, the Chapel of the Centurion was devoted. It was named after the Roman centurion Cornelius, who’s extensively thought of to be the primary particular person to transform to Christianity.
The chapel was the oldest picket construction for steady non secular providers on an Military base till Fort Monroe was decommissioned in 2011. At present, the chapel continues weekly providers and could be rented for weddings and occasions. The constructing was restored within the Nineteen Eighties and options beautiful structure.
Saint Mary Star of the Sea
In 1860, the Catholic Diocese of Richmond agreed with the USA to construct a parish church at Fort Monroe. Not like the Chapel of the Centurion, which was owned by the Military, the constructing for Saint Mary Star of the Sea could be owned and funded by parishioners.
The primary church was accomplished in 1860. Throughout the Civil Warfare, the Archdiocese of Baltimore maintained the small one-story constructing. In 1873, the primary full-time pastor arrived and supervised the development of the church’s rectory.
The present church was accomplished and devoted in 1903. Common providers are nonetheless held on the church, the ninth-oldest parish within the Diocese of Richmond.
Outlook Seashore
Curiously, Fort Monroe grew to become a resort seashore city within the Eighteen Eighties. The Chamberlain Resort and Hygeia Resort had been famend for his or her restorative baths. Guests traveled from world wide to remain on the waterfront lodges on the doorstep of the U.S. Military fort.
Outlook Seashore is the one seashore open to the general public for swimming right this moment. Throughout the summer season, the Metropolis of Hampton retains lifeguards on responsibility on the seashore.
Fort Monroe Seawall Path
The two-mile Fort Monroe Seawall Path (bookmark on AllTrails)is a good alternative to stretch your legs and revel in beautiful views of the Chesapeake Bay. A concrete path begins close to the marina, passes in entrance of The Chamberlin and Continental Park, and continues to Battery Irwin. From there, the path follows a paved street not open to autos to the Paradise Ocean Membership.
Find out how to Get to Fort Monroe
There are a couple of methods to get to Fort Monroe at Previous Level Consolation. Which manner you are taking will depend on how badly the visitors is congested on Interstate 64.
The shortest route is to take Exit 268, flip onto South Mallory Avenue, after which flip proper onto East Mellen Avenue. Go by the outdated a part of Hampton throughout the Mugler Memorial Bridge to a visitors gentle. Proceed straight to Ingalls Highway.
One other manner is to take Exit 263 – this route bypasses congested visitors on the interstate. Take U.S. Freeway 258 to Mercury Boulevard, cross the bridge, and switch left onto Ingalls Highway on the visitors gentle.
The place to Keep
There are many nice locations to remain close to Fort Monroe Nationwide Monument. Virginia Seashore is lower than an hour away. You may additionally head throughout the Chesapeake Bay-Bridge to Virginia’s Japanese Shore and discover a trip rental dwelling.
However if you wish to keep close by, I like to recommend a couple of nice lodges.
The Touchdown at Hampton Marina is an expensive waterfront resort with every thing you want for a snug getaway. Get one thing to eat on the two on-site eating places, swim within the rooftop pool, and benefit from the spectacular view from bay home windows within the visitor rooms. E-book now with Reserving.com or Expedia.com
Vacation Inn Categorical is at Exit 263, a straightforward twenty-minute drive from the nationwide monument. The resort options an indoor swimming pool and cozy visitor rooms. E-book now with Reserving.com or Expedia.com
Hyatt Place additionally options an indoor swimming pool with bigger visitor rooms with sleeper sofas that may be excellent for bigger households. E-book now with Reserving.com or Expedia.com
Greatest Western is the budget-friendly choice with snug visitor rooms and an outside swimming pool. E-book now with Reserving.com or Expedia.com
Incessantly Requested Questions
Fort Monroe was constructed from 1819 to 1834.
Fort Monroe is called after President James Monroe. He was the president on the time building started on the fort.
Fort Monroe was constructed after the British effortlessly entered the Chesapeake Bay throughout the Warfare of 1812. It was a part of the Third System of Forts, a collection of coastal fortifications to forestall enemy troops from ever touchdown on American soil once more.
Fort Monroe is the biggest stone fortification in the USA. The fort’s partitions are 1.3 miles lengthy and 10 toes thick.
Guests can discover Fort Monroe on foot and by automotive! The fort’s inside is so massive that paved roads join numerous buildings and entrances.
Fort Monroe is most well-known for an incident on Could 27, 1861. Three escaped enslaved folks – Frank Baker, James Townsend, and Sheppard Mallory – arrived on the fort in search of their freedom. Main Normal Benjamin Butler made the controversial and pivotal determination of declaring the boys “contraband.” Since Virginia thought of the boys property, however the state had seceded from the USA, the Fugitive Slave Act not utilized. And seized property was a spoil of warfare.
Fort Monroe was decommissioned in 2011.
Fort Monroe Nationwide Monument was established in 2011 by an Government Order signed by President Barack Obama.
One of the crucial fascinating facets of Fort Monroe is that guests can drive their vehicles by the Predominant Gate, in-built 1820, contained in the fort.
Previous Level Consolation Lighthouse was in-built 1802 and lit in 1803. It was one of many first lighthouses accomplished by the brand new United States.
