Fort Adams State Parkis a public recreation and historic area preservingFort Adams,a large coastal fortification located at the harbor mouth inNewport,Rhode Island,that was active from 1841 through the first half of the 20th century. Thestate parkhosts the annualNewport Jazz FestivalandNewport Folk Festivaland is the home ofSail NewportandEisenhower House.[3]
| Fort Adams State Park | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Location in Rhode Island | |
| Location | Newport, Rhode Island,United States |
| Coordinates | 41°28′41″N71°20′08″W/ 41.47806°N 71.33556°W |
| Area | 105 acres (42 ha)[1] |
| Elevation | 7 ft (2.1 m) |
| Established | 1965[2] |
| Administrator | Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Division of Parks & Recreation, and the United States Department of Defense |
| Website | Fort Adams State Park |
History
editThe area was originally owned byWilliam Brenton,who called the region "Hammersmith,"[4]a name that survives in the name of the adjacentHammersmith Farm.Following its long tenure as a military installation, the State of Rhode Island took possession of Fort Adams for use as a state park in 1965.[2]
Activities and amenities
editIn addition to panoramic views of the harbor andNarragansett Bay,the park offers swimming, boating, picnicking, and athletic fields.[3]The Joseph "Jay" Kirwin Memorial Rugby Pitch is home toNewport Rugby Football Cluband to the rugby teams ofSalve Regina University.In addition to the dedicated Kirwin rugby pitch, there are two soccer fields/rugby pitches. The annual NewportRugby SevensTournament is held at the fort each summer.
The Fort Adams Trust offers seasonal guided tours of Fort Adams, the Fort Adams Advanced Southern Redoubt, and the Eisenhower “Summer White House."[5]
Fort Adams State Beachis a small, shallow, roped-off area for swimming, with slightly rocky sand. The adjacent Dr. Fred Alofsin Special Events Building has bathrooms, showers, picnic tables, and a small parking lot.
Further reading
edit- John Martin Hammond,Quaint and Historic Forts of North America.Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1915.
- Patricia Harris, David Lyon,Journey to New England.Globe Pequot Press, 1999, pp. 20–21,ISBN978-0-7627-0330-2.
References
edit- ^"Fort Adams State Park".State of Rhode Island Division of Parks & Recreation. Archived fromthe originalon February 3, 2005.RetrievedJanuary 24,2023.
- ^ab"Fort Adams State Park History".State of Rhode Island Division of Parks & Recreation.RetrievedAugust 26,2014.
- ^ab"Fort Adams State Park".State of Rhode Island Division of Parks & Recreation.RetrievedAugust 26,2014.
- ^Elizabeth C. Brenton (1877)."History of Brenton's Neck from 1638".Newport, R.I.: John P. Sanborn, Printer, Mercury Office. p. 10.RetrievedDecember 2,2010.
- ^"Visit Fort Adams".Fort Adams Trust.RetrievedAugust 8,2017.
External links
edit- Fort Adams State ParkRhode Island Department of Environmental Management Division of Parks & Recreation
- Fort Adams and the Fort Adams TrustThe Fort Adams Trust