Historic Structure Report: Fort Jay

Yocum, Barbara

This Historic Structure Report on Fort Jay, Governors Island National Monument, provides a chronology of its physical evolution, describes its architectural elements, and identifies its character-defining features. One of the great surprises of this project was the discovery that architectural drawings for all the extant buildings and structures of Governors Island, including Fort Jay and Castle Williams, are still located in Building 910, the former U.S. Coast Guard Facilities Engineering Division, on Governors Island. These drawings were prepared by and for the U.S. Army and the U.S. Coast Guard, some dating back to the 19th century. Building 910 and its contents are now within the jurisdiction of the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation (GIPEC), a park partner. Some of the drawings have been moved to another GIPEC structure, Building 108, which offers better environmental conditions than Building 910. (Building 108 also houses GIPEC’s administrative headquarters.) GIPEC has been generous in allowing access to researchers, but both security and fire safety are concerns. The National Park Service should thus obtain all drawings related to the national-monument property for inclusion in its own archives and files. The following suggestions are offered to ensure the future preservation and accessibility of this important collection. First, an assessment/survey should be made of the collection by a professional archivist and the information incorporated in the General Management Plan. Professionals at the Museum Services Center, Northeast Region, National Park Service, have the knowledge and expertise to facilitate this process. Second, a determination needs to be made as to the proper disposition of these drawings.

Historic Structure Report: Fort Jay

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