Thousands of people, both residents and visitors, converge on the southern tip of New York City—called the Battery—to take ferries heading to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Most know little about the origins of a prominent nearby fort and its varied 214-year history. In fact, Castle Clinton is often overlooked as a historically significant site. It’s one of dozens of forts originally constructed to protect the major port city.
Though other forts had been built in the 1700s before the Revolutionary War, Castle Clinton was built as trade issues with Great Britain intensified. Completed in 1811, just before the War of 1812, it was an intimidating stronghold meant to convey a message to forces entering Manhattan at the confluence of the Hudson and East rivers.
