Harbor Defenses of the Delaware River

CDSG REPRESENTATIVE SITE VISIT REPORT

Fort Name: Fort Delaware / Harbor Defenses of the Delaware

Current Site Name: Fort Delaware State Park

Date of Visit: 12JAN05

Site Use: State Park

Is the Site open to the Public?: Yes
Dates and Hours of Operation: 

April 29 to July 30 weekends, June 14- July 30 Wednesday-Sunday

FORT DELAWARE WILL BE CLOSED FOR NEEDED REPAIRS BEGINNING 1 AUGUST until 2007

What type of programs are offered at the Site?:
Living History:  Yes
Tours: Yes, Self Guided and guided
Museum Shop: Yes, Located in admin building, also in Delaware City

Restoration Projects: Terreplein, cisterns, Casemates, Sea-Wall placed around the island to prevent erosion

What is the overall condition of the Site:

Good-Excellent

What is the condition of the Individual Elements?:
Batteries:

Torbert              -fair

Dodd     -fair

Hentig   -fair

Allen     -fair

Alburtis-fair

Civil War Fort Delaware-Good

Buildings:

P.O.W.(Confederate) Re-constructed Segment Barracks-Good

Mine Storehouse (presently maintenance building)-Good

Power Station (Endicott period)-fair

Administration (1)-good

Administration (2)-Destroyed for the construction of Battery Torbert

Barracks-fair, half destroyed for the construction of Torbert

All original frame structures outside of the third system fort destroyed in hurricane.

Other Elements:

Mine Casemate (1870’s)-good

Cable Terminal Hut- filled with sand

Mine Cable Storage tank-Present picnic area

C.R.F. Station-Destroyed for construction of present bathrooms

What is the protective status of the Site?:
National Register: Yes
State Historic Site: Yes

Current Site Owner: State of Delaware
Current Site Supervisor: Superintendent Becky Webb (Fort Delaware State Park)
Other Contacts at the Site: George Contant
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 170
Delaware City, DE 19706
Phone: 302.834.7941
Fax:
Email: george.contant@state.de.us

Is the Site or a responsible individual at the site a CDSG member?:

No.

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

Poster and brochures

Is there anyone at the Site that would submit material for the CDSG Journal?:

The Fort Delaware Society may be interested.

Any Special Situations at the Site: (Damage, Imminent Destruction, Etc.)

Battery Torbert is in need of stabilization.

If individual batteries, base-end stations, buildings, etc. are in some way significant, please indicate:

-1870’s Mine Casemate

-Battery Torbert-Three story, three emplacement D.C. Rifle Battery, originally designed for gunlift emplacements