Conanicut Battery Explained

Conanicut Battery
Location:Jamestown, Rhode Island
Coordinates:41.4803°N -71.3939°W
Built:1776
Added:July 2, 1973
Refnum:73000055

The Conanicut Battery is a colonial and 20th century military battery in Jamestown, Rhode Island, west of Beaver Tail Road. The site offers a commanding view of the West Passage of Narragansett Bay.

During the American Revolutionary War, local militia constructed an earthen battery on the site. The British occupied Jamestown later that year and took over the site, occupying the space until August 1778 when the French fleet arrived. Its principal surviving feature is an earthworks measuring about 150feet long and 75feet wide. The site is marked by a plaque placed by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1931.[1] During the early 20th century, the U.S. military built large partially underground defensive batteries in the area, notably Fort Getty and Fort Burnside.

The 22-acre site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. It is now owned by the town. The Friends of Conanicut Battery and the Jamestown Historical Society are active in preserving the fort.[2] [3]

See also

References and external links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NRHP nomination for Conanicut Battery. Rhode Island Preservation. 2014-08-30.
  2. Web site: Jamestown RI Parks and Recreation. Jamestown, Rhode Island. 30 August 2015. 14 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200214122853/http://www.jamestown-ri.info/jri_recreation.htm. dead.
  3. Web site: From the revolution to restoration, the Conanicut Battery lives on. The Jamestown Press. 30 August 2015. December 2, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20150910021058/http://www.jamestownpress.com/news/2010-12-02/News/From_the_revolution_to_restoration_the_Conanicut_B.html. 10 September 2015. dead.