THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS--- : Foster F__urcO-lo, Governor METROP--�-��OLITAN DISTRICT COM MISSION; - PARKS DIVISION. HISTORY AND MASTER PLAN GEORGES ISLAND AND FORT WARREN 0 BOSTON HARBOR John E. Maloney, Commissioner Milton Cook Charles W. Greenough Associate Commissioners John Hill Charles J. McCarty Prepared By SHURCLIFF & MERRILL, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL CONSULTANT MINOR H. McLAIN . .. .' MAY 1960 , t :. � ,\ �:· !:'/,/ I , Lf; :: .. 1 1 " ' � : '• 600-3-60-927339 Publication of This Document Approved by Bernard Solomon. State Purchasing Agent Estimated cost per copy: $ 3.S2e « \ '< � <: .' '\' , � : 10 - r- /16/ /If( ��c..c��_c.� t � o� rJ 7;1,,,.._,03 � .i ?:,, r12··"- 4 ,-1. ' I" -po �� ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We wish to acknowledge with thanks the assistance, information and interest extended by Region Five of the National Park Service; the Na­ tional Archives and Records Service; the Waterfront Committee of the Quincy-South Shore Chamber of Commerce; the Boston Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy; Lieutenant Commander Preston Lincoln, USN, Curator of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion; Mr. Richard Parkhurst, former Chairman of Boston Port Authority; Brigardier General E. F. Periera, World War 11 Battery Commander at Fort Warren; Mr. Edward Rowe Snow, the noted historian; Mr. Hector Campbel I; the ABC Vending Company and the Wilson Line of Massachusetts. We also wish to thank Metropolitan District Commission Police Captain Daniel Connor and Capt. Andrew Sweeney for their assistance in providing transport to and from the Island. Reproductions of photographic materials are by George M. Cushing. COVER The cover shows Fort Warren and George's Island on January 2, 1958. Gallop's Island is in the distance. The photograph was taken by J. T. O'Toole of the Massachusetts National Guard. .. .. ; .. :. ... : ··.� . ... .. , ,. .. , . .• >. , . ' ,. .. ,• : ·:.. IMPROVEMENT PRIORITY LIST AND COST ESTIMATE ITEM ill 2nd 3rd 4th 1 Building Demolition (inc. Lovell's Is. $15,000) 3,000 2 Additional Demolition 10,000 3 Pier Repairs and Additions 216,990 4 Additional Pier Facilities (Rain Shelter, Water, Electric) 6,000 5 Pier Derrick 15,000 6 Remodel 2nd Floor of Mine Storage Building for Superintendent's Quarters and Provide Diesel Electric Power 22,000 7 Remodel 1st Floor of Mine Storage Building for Superintendent's Office, Snack Bar and Public Toilets (including Septic Tank) 40,000 8 Provide Concession & Toilets in Bastion A 30,000 9 Provide 2nd Apartment and Dormitory Rooms on 2nd FI oor of Mine Storage Room 15,000 10 Provide Increased Diesel Electric Power 35,000 11 Recondition & Remodel Old Hospital Bldg. 30,000 12 Prepare Part of Generator Bldg. for Main- tenance Shop and Storage 5,000 13 Minor Repairs Necessary for the Safety of Visitors 5,000 14 Resurfacing of Existing Walks and lnstalla- tion of New Walks 4,000 1,000 1,000 15 Restoration of Moat at Caponiere, Ravel in, Revetments in Bastion A and Scarp Gallery in Bastion E 35,000 16 Wooden Pedestrian Bridge at Front 2 20,000 17 Repairs to Granite Magazine 3,000 18 Recondition Casemates for Exhibits ' 15,000 19 Recondition Additional Casemates for Exhibits 10,000 20 Repair & Recondition Other Casemates 15,000 10,000 21 Historic Armament Exhibit 25,000 22 Fence 5,000 23 Repair of Shore Protection 50,000 24 Landscape Clean-Up (Pruning Trees, Grub out Shrubbery, Mowing, Remove Dead Trees) 10,000 5,000 25 Plant New Trees 3,000 26 Repair Water Line 5,000 27 Picnic Tables 1,000 2,000 28 Drinking Fountains 1,000 1,000 29 Benches 1,000 1,000 30 Signs and Markers 2,000 1,000 1,000 31 Maintenance Equipment 6,000 2,000 32 Miscellane·ous 30,000 15,000 15,000 15,000 TOTAL $286,990 $186,000 $161,000 $110,000 PRIORITY 1 $286,990 PRIORITY 2 186,000 PRIORITY 3 161,000 PRIORITY 4 110,000 GRAND TOTAL $743,990 300-3-60-927339 TABLE OF CONTENTS Statement of Significance . .. .... .. ... .. .. .. 5 Physical Improvements Relative to the Interpretive Program............... 51 11 Planning Approach ... .. .. .. .. ... .. .. ......... .. ...... 5 1. Coverface - Caponi ere . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 51 Ill History ..................................................... 7 2. Ravelin ........................................... 51 IV Theme of Development . .. ... .. ... .. ... .... .. .. .. 47 3. Bastion A . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. 51 4. Scarp Gal I ery .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 51 V Probable Public Use Pattern ......................... 47 5. Bridge to connect Front 2 with 47 1. Transportation . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... ... .. .. .. the Coverface . .. .. .. .. .. 51 47 2. Estimated Use ... .. .. ... ... .. ..... .. ... .. .. 6. Casemates . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 52 47 3. Admission Charges ................................. Site Improvement .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. ... .. .. 52 VI Interpretive Program . .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 48 1. Fence . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 52 1. Orientation Lecture and Exhibit .. .. ......... ... 48 2. Shore Protection . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 52 2. Informative Literature . ... ... .. .. .. .. .. .. ... ... 48 3. Vegetation . .. ..... .. .. .. .. .. ...... .. ........ 52 3. Signs and Markers . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 48 4. Pedestrian Circulation . .. .. .. .. ....... 53 4. Tours . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... .. ... .. .. .. .. 48 5. Picnic Area and Benches .. .. .. .. ..... .. 53 5. Armament Exhibit .. .. .. .. .. .. ...... .. .. .. ... .. 48 Additional Pier Facilities ....................... 53 6. Research .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 49 Uti I ities .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. 54 I. Water .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 54 VI 49 I Staff Organization .. .. .. ........... .............. ..... 2. Electricity . .. .. .. .. ... ............. .. .. 54 VIII Development Program ................................. 49 3. Storm Drainage .. ... .. .. ...................... 54 Work Underway or Completed . .. .. .. .. ... .. 49 4. Sanitary Sewer ... .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 54 Building Utilization ............................... 50 5. Communications .. .. .. .. .. .. ....... ... 54 1. Old Mine Storage House .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 50 Maintenance and Fire Protection .............. 54 2. Old Generator Building ....................... 50 Concession . .. ... .. .. .. .. ... .. .. ......... 54 3. Old Hospital ... ... ... .. ..... .. .. ...... .. 50 Swimming Pool and Bath House ............... 55 4. Range Towers .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .... .. 50 IX Append ix .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. 57 5. Granite Magazine .............................. 50 1. Glossary . .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. 57 6. Latrine ....... .................................... 50 2. Bibliography .......................................... 58 7. Other Buildings ................................ 51 3. Armament History . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 60 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Mop of Boston Harbor, 1876 Topographic Mop of Island, 1833 15-inch Rodman, Civil War Front 11 showing Garrison Quarters and Barbette Battery Mop of Fortifications, Parapet Level, Civi I War Phase Main Entrance from Pier, Civi I War Main Entrance from Guard House, Civi I War Mop of Fortifications, Cosemote Level, Civi I War Phase Parade Ground, Morch 1864 View of Parapet Parade Ground, 1862 Interior of Squad Room Confederate Prisoners at Fort Warren Alexander Stephens Revetments, Bastion A Officers' Quarters, Circa 1890 Commanding Officers' Quarters, Circa 1890 Guard House, Circa 1890 Mop of Fortifications, Sponish-American War Phase Non-Commissioned Stoff Quarters Front IV, Circa 1895 Hospital, 1958 Map of Fortif_ications, World War 11 Phase Mine Storage Building, 1958 Mine Storage Building, 1958 Generator House George's Island, January 2, 1958 Proposed Restoration and Tour 4 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Because of its historic significance and its appeal to defensive post for the protection of Boston Harbor. In visitors the impressive granite fort on George's Island each of these conflicts many men from Massachusetts and was acquired for preservation as an Historic Monument New England have served at the Fort. from the General Services Administration of the Federal Government by the Metropolitan District Commission of Fort Warren has played an important role in Boston's the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on July 14, 1958. history for the past one hundred and thirty years. It is Strategically located at the throat of Boston Harbor perhaps best known as a model CiviI War Union Prison. between Deer Isle on the North and Windmill Point on the The humane record of Fort Warren as a prison is the direct South, Fort Warren fronts directly on the main harbor ship opposite of that of such prisons as Fort Delaware and channel in "The Narrows." ln every conflict from the Civil Andersonville, for which reason alone it is perhaps worthy War up to and including World War II it has been the major of recognition as an historic monument. PLANNING APPROACH The preparation of a Master Plan for an historic mon­ Fort Warren in its present state exhibits strong physi­ ument such as Fort Warren requires not only the aesthetic cal evidence of its long existence. An extensive research and functional solution of such problems as land and struc­ program was undertaken to obtain an accurate and relativety ture utilization and circulation, but also a very careful complete history of the various phases of construction and consideration and integration of the inherent