DEFEND THE FORT

The Fort Adams Trust, a nonprofit organization, was formed in 1994 to work with the State of Rhode Island to open the Fort for public tours, prepare educational exhibits on the history of the Fort and its times, and raise monies for the restoration of what is the finest example of its type in North America.

The Fort is now open seven days a week May through October, and major improvements have been completed. Interpretive signs on the parade field and in the outerworks address the history of the Fort and those who built it. The Fort’s many openings have been secured to reduce the possibility of vandalism. The North Wall and flagpole of the Fort are now floodlit, providing a stunning sight from Newport and the Pell Bridge.

In 2003, with major assistance from a Save America’s Treasures grant, the North Wall of the Fort and the North Casemates were restored. The casemates represent the first interior restoration completed at the Fort since the State assumed ownership in 1965, and will be used for museum exhibits and for event rentals. The casemates now houses a 24 pounder cannon of the type included in the Fort’s original armament, mounted on an authentic reproduction of a pre-Civil War wooden carriage and chassis built from the original War Department plans.

In 2004, construction will continue with a project to restore the Officer’s Quarters Roof, a major undertaking involving an earthen rampart system and granite chimneys. The roofing of this area is critical to the future plans of the Trust to interpret the history of the Fort and to have "hands-on" facilities such as Youth Overnight Barracks.

A new partnership with the Naval War College will make visits to Fort Adams even more exciting beginning in 2004. The ability of the pubic to see the outstanding collections at the Naval War College Museum has been severely restricted since the 9/11 attacks; the NWC has responded by creating a special loan exhibit tracing the defenses of Narragansett Bay over three centuries that will be mounted in the North Casemates. The exhibit will include color panels, video kiosks, and weapons such as a torpedo and a cruise missile. For the future, the Naval War College is pursuing a feasibility study for converting an unused portion of the Fort into satellite exhibit space for the Museum on a more permanent basis. This would be a perfect fit for the nature of the Fort and the story it has to tell.

Each year thousands of adults and children tour Historic Fort Adams to learn about American history, military architecture, technology and strategy, and the daily life of the Irish immigrants who built the Fort as well as the soldiers who were stationed at Fort Adams until after World War II. Fort Adams State Park, with the Fort as its centerpiece, is increasingly becoming the location for major public gatherings and festivals, including (in 2004) the Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals, the Tall Ships Parade, the Newport Arts Festival and Island Moving Company, the Wooden Boat Show and the return of America’s Cup Racing in Newport for the UBS Trophy. Several hundred thousand people are expected to view and take part in these and other events at Fort Adams.

As one of Rhode Island’s and America’s Treasures, Fort Adams continues to delight and to educate the public 180 years after it was begun, and is a wise investment for a city and for a state that pride themselves on preserving and sharing our heritage.

Join us in our mission to save Fort Adams by becoming a member today!

Sincerely,

Eric Hertfelder

Executive Director, Fort Adams Trust

Membership entitles you to free admission to the Fort for tours and special events, our Newsletter, discounts at our gift shop and for rental of the Fort, and invitations to Members Only events.

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