Masonry Forts of the National Park Service: Special History Study
Holland FR and Jones R. 1973. Masonry Forts of the National Park Service: Special History Study. Denver, Colorado
At the request of former Director George B. Hartzog, we have made an examination of the masonry forts of the National Park Service to determine their condition and make recommendations for their restoration and/or rehabilitation, along with, estimates for the cost of the pertinent work. In the course of this work we had the able assistance of Restoration Specialist Harry Martin, who provided estimates for the work needed at Fort Washington and Fort McHenry, and Historical Architect Norman Souder who provided all the information, including estimates, on Castle Clinton. We also had extremely fine and helpful cooperation from the members of the staffs of all the parks visited. It was this cooperation that greatly expedited our work. From the point of view of historic preservation, examining these masonry forts was a dismal task. It was heartening to see the variety in styles of forts--no two of which were alike in design and/or construction-and the span of time they represented. But after looking at these forts and examining their condition it became obvious that the National Park Service has been remiss as a governmental bureau that is supposed to be engaged in historic preservation; indeed, one historian characterized the past restoration work on one prominent fort as no better than vandalism. And one would have to agree that this and other forts had received less than desirable treatment. For example, Castillo de San Marcos has had its terreplein paved with modern white cement, which is about as historic as placing Aunt Fanny's outhouse in the middle of the White House lawn. Fort Frederica and many other forts have been repointed with modern cement that does not even remotely match the surviving mortar, and it has been applied so sloppily that such work would be a disgrace to the greenest apprentice mason. Perhaps the most serious charge against the National Park Service is the neglect to which the forts have been subjected. The castillos of San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico are seriously threatened by sea erosion, a condition that did not spring up overnight. Yet no action other than studies of the problem have been programmed.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Holland, F.; Jones, Russell
- Date of Issue
- 1973-08
- Units
- CACL , CASA , CHRI , FOFR , FOMA , FOMC , FOPO , FOPU , FOSU , FOWA , GUIS , HIST , SAJU
- Keywords
- Battery Jasper, Battery San Antonio, Castillo de San Marcos, Castle Clinton, Christiansted, City Walls, ehistory, El Canuelo, El MOro, Fort Barrancas, Fort Christian, Fort Christiansvaern, Fort Frederica, Fort Jefferson, Fort Massachusetts, Fort Matanzas, Fort McHenry, Fort Moultrie, Fort Pickens, Fort Point, Fort Pulaski, Fort Sumter, Fort Washington, forts, Gulf Islands, History, Masonry, redoubt, San Cristoabl, San Juan, St. Thomas, Study