About Forts

The Women's Army Corps (WAC) was the women's branch of the United States Army, created during World War II. One hundred and fifty thousand women served in the WAC during the war. Their noncombat jobs ranged from switchboard operators to mechanics to bakers and beyond. This page collects information about the parks, historic places, people, and stories connected to the history of the WAC.

Cannon manufactured for use in Third System forts are called seacoast ordnance. These were some of the largest and heaviest cannon available at the time. Cannon at forts Pickens, McRee, Barrancas, Massachusetts, and Advanced Redoubt fell into three categories: guns, howitzers, and mortars. Each had a specific purpose.

How should a country protect its borders? The United States had to consider this question when the War of 1812 ended in 1815. One year later, the federal government believed it had an answer. The nation created a broad national defense strategy that included a new generation of waterfront defenses called the Third System of Coastal Fortifications.

For an urban bike expedition in D.C., visit the Mount Vernon Trail! Plan ahead for many stops along the way to fully immerse yourself in the nation’s rich history!

Facing advances in military technology and weaponry, the US looked to upgrade coastal defense systems around the turn of the 20th century. In many harbors, controlled submarine mines were installed. Learn about the role of the Boston Harbor Islands in monitoring the controlled submarine mine system during the World Wars.

Learn About How the Traditional Trades Apprenticeship Program (TTAP) Provides Young Adults with Valuable Experience Working on Masonry Project.

Learn About The Work Being Done to Repair Fort Pulaski's Terreplein

Historical archeologists see if archeological remains verify what is written, or tell a different story. Verifying the written record unraveled and documented the stone masonry of the spring enclosure at Fort Davis. Was the existing spring enclosure actually a reconstruction built in the 1940s? If it was a reconstruction, was it built in the original location? If some portion of the original masonry was left, what was original and what was reconstructed?

A cache of objects found in an attic of the Enlisted Men’s Barracks at Fort Washington has the potential to enlarge our understanding of living conditions at the fort during and after the Civil War.

Learn about kids who lived and worked at the fort!