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Fort Casey was a 19th-century defensive fortification built on
Fort Casey was named for Brigadier General Thomas Lincoln Casey, U.S. Army Chief of Engineers. Designed as part of the massive modernization program of U.S. seacoast fortifications initiated by the Endicott Board, construction on Fort Casey began in 1897. In 1901, the big guns on disappearing carriages, which could be raised out of their protective emplacements so that the guns were exposed only long enough to fire, became active. However, the fort's batteries became obsolete almost as soon as their construction was completed.
The invention of the airplane in 1903, and the subsequent development of military aircraft made the fort vulnerable to air attack. In addition, the development of battleships designed with increasingly accurate weaponry transformed the static strategies of the nineteenth century into the more mobile attack systems of the twentieth century.
Most of Fort Casey's guns and mortars were removed during
Fort Casey Historical State Park
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
Fort Casey Historical State Park Map
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
FortWiki article on Fort Casey
{{authority control Casey Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve State parks of Washington (state) Parks in Island County, Washington History of Island County, Washington Casey National Register of Historic Places in Island County, Washington Protected areas established in 1955 Parks established in the 1950s 1955 establishments in Washington (state)
Whidbey Island
Whidbey Island (historical spellings Whidby, Whitbey, or Whitby) is the largest of the islands composing Island County, Washington, Island County, Washington (state), Washington, in the United States, and the largest island in Washington stat ...
, Island County, Washington, to deter invasion from the sea. It is preserved as Fort Casey Historical State Park, a Washington state park and historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains historic building, older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal p ...
within the Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve.
Admiralty Inlet was considered so strategic to the defense of Puget Sound
Puget Sound ( ; ) is a complex estuary, estuarine system of interconnected Marine habitat, marine waterways and basins located on the northwest coast of the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. As a part of the Salish Sea, the sound ...
in the 1890s that three forts—Fort Casey on Whidbey Island, Fort Flagler on Marrowstone Island, and Fort Worden at Port Townsend—were built with the intention to create a "triangle of fire" against invading ships. This military strategy was based on the theory that the three fortresses would thwart any invasion attempt by sea.
History
Fort Casey was named for Brigadier General Thomas Lincoln Casey, U.S. Army Chief of Engineers. Designed as part of the massive modernization program of U.S. seacoast fortifications initiated by the Endicott Board, construction on Fort Casey began in 1897. In 1901, the big guns on disappearing carriages, which could be raised out of their protective emplacements so that the guns were exposed only long enough to fire, became active. However, the fort's batteries became obsolete almost as soon as their construction was completed.
The invention of the airplane in 1903, and the subsequent development of military aircraft made the fort vulnerable to air attack. In addition, the development of battleships designed with increasingly accurate weaponry transformed the static strategies of the nineteenth century into the more mobile attack systems of the twentieth century.
Most of Fort Casey's guns and mortars were removed during World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, when they were mounted on railcars to serve as mobile heavy artillery. Some of these weapons were returned to the fort after the war, and were scrapped during World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
as 16-inch guns and other weapons at other forts superseded them.
The two 10-inch guns on disappearing carriages currently mounted at Fort Casey were transferred from the Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
in the 1960s, along with two three-inch guns. The 10-inch guns are M1895MI (No. 26 and No. 28 Watervliet) on disappearing carriages M1901 (No. 13 and No. 15 Watertown) at Battery Worth, Fort Casey (originally at Battery Warwick, Fort Wint, Grande Island, Philippines). The three-inch guns are M1903 (No. 11 and No. 12) on barbette
Barbettes are several types of gun emplacement in terrestrial fortifications or on naval ships.
In recent naval usage, a barbette is a protective circular armour support for a heavy gun turret. This evolved from earlier forms of gun protection ...
carriages M1903 (No. 6 and No. 7) at Battery Trevor, Fort Casey (originally at Battery Flake, Fort Wint).Berhow, p. 230, 233
Park features
Fort Casey is a marine camping park. The Admiralty Head Lighthouse is located within the state park. Three miles of the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail wrap around the park.See also
*14th Coast Artillery (United States)
The 14th Coast Artillery Regiment was a Coast Artillery regiment in the United States Army. It served as the Regular Army (United States), Regular Army component of the Harbor Defense Command, Harbor Defenses (HD) of Puget Sound, Washington (sta ...
*
Notes
References
* Harris, Alfred W., Comment and Discussion, United States Naval Institute Proceedings, November 1968 * Powers, William M., PHC USN, Comment and Discussion, United States Naval Institute Proceedings, June 1968 *External links
Fort Casey Historical State Park
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
Fort Casey Historical State Park Map
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
FortWiki article on Fort Casey
{{authority control Casey Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve State parks of Washington (state) Parks in Island County, Washington History of Island County, Washington Casey National Register of Historic Places in Island County, Washington Protected areas established in 1955 Parks established in the 1950s 1955 establishments in Washington (state)