Fort Amador
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Fort Amador(Spanish:Fuerte Amador) andFort Grantwere formerUnited States Armybases built to protect the Pacific (southern) end of thePanama CanalatPanama Bay.Amador was the primary on-land site, lying below theBridge of the Americas.Grant consisted of a series of islands lying just offshore, some connected to Amador via a causeway.Fort Shermanwas the corresponding base on the Atlantic (northern) side. All of the forts were turned over to theRepublic of Panamain 1999, and the area is now a major tourist attraction.
History
[edit]The offshore islands had always been considered excellent defensive grounds and were long visited by Englishpirates.Sir Francis Drake,Captain Cook,andHenry Morganall used Taboga and Perico as refuges, after raiding Spanishgalleons.It was here that then-CaptainUlysses S. Grantended his cross-Panama march in 1852.
During the construction of the Panama Canal, notably theCulebra Cut,waste material was dumped in a mangrove bush then known as the "Balboa dump". As the work progressed, the dump was backfilled to create a large breakwater, which was later extended to the nearest of the offshore islands, Naos. This work was completed in 1912, and the military reservations were given their official names that year. Fort Amador is named forManuel Amador Guerrero,the first president of Panama, while Fort Grant was named to commemorate Grant's earlier crossing to that point.
The two forts initially claimed only about 70 acres (28 ha) of land, but this expanded over the years to over 344. Amador was the primary infantry and support area, and grew to include a rather prominent "tank farm" for fuel storage. Grant was used primarily for naval defence, and included a number of largebatterieson the various islands. To supply them, the causeway was extended to connect from Naos to the other nearby islands, Culebra, Perico, and Flamenco, all of which had batteries of various sizes. Grant also included the nearby unconnected islands of San Jose, Panamarca, Changarmi, Tortolita, Torola, Taboga, Cocovieceta, Cocovi, and Venado.
Armament
[edit]Fort Amador was initially armed with two batteries, each of two six inch disappearing guns. Batteries Birnie and Snith, begun in 1913, were completed in 1917. They remained in service until 1943, when the guns were removed, and the structures buried. The area was then used for housing. A 90mm Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat (AMTB) Battery replaced them in 1942; it, too, was disarmed and buried in 1948.
See also
[edit]- 14-inch M1920 railway gun
- 16-inch gun M1895at Fort Grant
- Panama Canal Zone
- List of former United States military installations in Panama
References
[edit]- Military Railroads on the Panama Canal Zone by Charles S. Small, Railroad monographs 1982
- Life Magazine March 17, 1941
External links
[edit]- "A History of Fort Amador and Fort Grant".Archived fromthe originalon 2002-07-04.
- "Gun Train Guards Ends of Panama Canal—Rolling Fort Crosses Isthmus in Two Hours".Popular Mechanics:844–845. December 1934.Includes excellent drawings of the14-inch M1920 railway gun.
- Historic American Buildings Survey(HABS) documentation, filed under Panama City, Former Panama Canal Zone, CZ:
- HABS No. CZ-3, "Fort Amador",2 photos, 49 data pages, 1 photo caption page
- HABS No. CZ-3-A, "Fort Amador, Administration Building",44 photos, 11 data pages, 6 photo caption pages
- HABS No. CZ-3-B, "Fort Amador, Four Apartments",24 photos, 8 data pages, 5 photo caption pages
- HABS No. CZ-3-C, "Fort Amador, Officers' Quarters",24 photos, 9 data pages, 4 photo caption pages
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