print

Castle Williams

Harbor Defenses of New York

CDSG REPRESENTATIVE SITE VISIT REPORT

Fort Name: (Military Name/Harbor Defense)  Castle Williams/Governors Island

Date of Visit:  4 Aug 06

Current Site Name:  Castle Williams

Site Use: (Park, School, Private Ownership, Landfill, Etc.)  Park

Is the Site open to the Public?: Yes
Dates and Hours of Operation:  Friday and Saturday/1000 to 1700L

What type of programs are offered at the Site?:
Living History:  Yes
Tours: Yes
Museum Shop:  Yes
Restoration Projects?:  Yes-primarily stabilization of the structures on the island.

Are there events that the Site would like to have advertised in the CDSG
Newsletter:? Yes
Event: They are not sure at this time
Description:
Dates/Times:

What is the overall condition of the Site?:  Good and improving

What is the condition of the Individual Elements?:
Batteries:  Good
Buildings:  Stable,  fighting some moisture problems on the inside
Other Elements:

What is the protective status of the Site?:
National Park:?  Yes
National Register?: Yes
State or Local Historic Site?:  No
None?:

Current Site Owner(s):  National Park Service
Current Site Supervisor: Mike Shaver
Mailing Address:  #10 South St-Slip 7,  NY, NY 10004-1900
Phone:  212-825-3045
Fax: 212-825-3055
Email:  gois_information@nps.gov

Support Group:
Contact Person:
Mailing Address:
Phone:
Fax:
Email:

Other Contacts at the Site: Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation
Mailing Address:  #10 South St.-Slip 7,  NY, NY 10004-1900
Phone: 212-440-2200
Fax:
Email: info-gipec@empire.state.ny.us

Is the Site or a responsible individual at the site a CDSG member?:  NO but interested

What information can the CDSG provide to the management of the site?:  2 Reference books

Are there any projects at the Site that would benefit from CDSG funding?:  Yes if we have $2M

Is there anyone at the Site that would submit material for the CDSG Journal?: Mike Shaver? He is interested in becoming a member and then we could approach him for more material.

Any Special Situations at the Site: (Damage, Imminent Destruction, Etc.) Governors  Island was originally manned by the Army and then the Coast Guard.  The Army left in 1966 and the Coast Guard took over but they eventually left in 1996. The NPS assumed control of the original historic section facing Battery Park in Manhattan. A combined city and state organization controls the larger portion of the island which is primarily composed of modern buildings and sports fields.  The city and state (GIPEC) are trying to determine how to develop their portion of the island.  This section is currently not open to the public for visits.  The remnants of a South battery are located in this section of the island.  The officers club is partially built on and around this structure and reportedly two casements are visible from the basement of the building.  A 10 inch Rodman is located at this site.  This could not be confirmed as the site was not visited.

If individual batteries, base-end stations, buildings, etc. are in some way significant, please indicate:  Castle Williams is a three tiered structure. After serving as a battery for nearly 20 years it was eventually converted and served as a military prison for a majority of its military career. Short tours of the facility are given by the NPS as a part of a 45 min tour of governors island.  Park Service rangers provide a short discussion in the court yard (see photo) but visitors are not allowed to go further into the structure. What appears to be a  15 inch Rodman gun is mounted on the top tier of  the battery (photo provided).