4/24/2019
Depart: Deep Creek Anchorage 8:55
Arrive: Fort Monroe @ Mill Creek Anchorage 11:45
Distance: 18 nm
When we talk
to other boaters, we often get recommendations on places to visit. While attending
the SSCA MiniGAM, we heard that we should see Fort Monroe. We decided to target
this historic site today. On our way there we saw ...
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| Oyster crews hard at it offloading their early-morning haul |
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| a floating box (??) |
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| Side view of floating box (??) |
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| Military Aircraft |
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| Battleship |
Entering the Fort Monroe area, we saw ...
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| Old Point Comfort Lighthouse at Fort Monroe |
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| The Chamberlin Hotel built c. 1928 |
We had a
devil of a time trying to get anchored satisfactorily. Crab pots scattered
hither, thither, and yon made finding a spot difficult. Add to that the
underwater cable running between G3 and G5 that we better not find with our
anchor, and we were left struggling to find a good place for the night. On our third
attempt, we settled on a place which worked well.
By the time
we had our anchor in place, it was almost time to eat lunch. I had wondered
what we would do for food. Given the time, I had my answer. We ate on board. As
we approached the Fort area, I asked Clark if he planned to use bikes to tour
the fort. He said he planned on walking.
After doing
some looking into whether or not bikes would be useful / allowed, I suggested
he rethink that decision. We took the bikes and related paraphernalia (helmets,
and such) with us in the dinghy (it was cozy to say the least). Once we got
there, we realized that bikes were a necessity to see more than a small portion
of the fort.
On the bike ride from the marina to the fort ...
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Zero Mile Post for
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway |
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Bandstand at Centennial Park
first concert held here 4/7/1934 |
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| Site of Fort Algernourne - 1609 |
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| St Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church c. 1903 |
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Lincoln Gun cast in 1860
First 15-inch Rodman Gun Made |
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| Entrance to Fort Monroe |
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| View of Moat |
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| Path over Moat into Fort Monroe |
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| Entrance to Guard House |
Fort Monroe
is known as “Freedom’s Fortress” and the Casemate Museum offers an interesting
history lesson to its visitors. A casemate is a room within the wall of a fort used for gun placement and living quarters.
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| Casemate Museum |
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| No potable well water required Cisterns to be used |
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3-inch Ordnance Rifle made 1863 for Union forces
fires shells 2.5 miles |
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Aerial view of Fort Monroe
Largest stone fort in the U.S. with 5 entrance gates |
For example,
Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy, was imprisoned here during the
Civil War following his capture by Union troops in 1865.
Major General Benjamin Butler made the famous decision that three fugitive slaves should not be returned to the south, but should instead, be treated as “contraband of war”. Following that decision, thousands of “contrabands” sought sanctuary at the fort. Butler’s decision was a forerunner to the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.
The battle of the ironclads (USS Monitor and CSS
Virginia aka Merrimack could be
seen from Fort Monroe.
One
surprising fact … Edgar Allan Poe, using an alias with initials E.A.P., was
stationed at Fort Monroe from 1828 to 1829. He needed money so tried to stay
with the army, but he was a bad soldier and was eventually dismissed for gross
negligence of duties.
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| Edgar Allan Poe writing Poems at Fort Monroe |
From the museum,
we toured the fort on our bikes – both the inside and outside loop.
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| Exit to the outside of fort and moat |
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| View of moat |
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| Flag Staff Bastion |
Robert E. Lee was posted at Fort Monroe from 1831 – 1834 and was responsible for overseeing to the completion of the fort’s construction.
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| Lee's Quarters 1831 - 1834 |
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| Lincoln stayed in this building in May of 1862 |
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| Parade Grounds at Fort Monroe |
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| Beach at Fort Monroe |
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| Old Point Comfort Lighthouse |
Built in 1802, the lighthouse is the oldest structure at Fort Monroe. During the War of 1812, the lighthouse was used as a lookout by British invasion forces. The structure is still used as a navigational aid.
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Engineer Wharf built 1818.
Jefferson Davis landed here as a Union prisoner. |
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First African arrived here 1619 -
captured from a Portuguese slave ship |
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View of The Chamerlin
(once a hotel; now Active Seniors Housing) |
After touring the Casemate museum and then biking for miles, Clark said we should stop for ice cream. Someone had texted him that a coffee shop in the area had ice cream. We found it!
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| Firehouse Coffee |
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| Inside Coffee Shop |
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| Coffee and Ice Cream |
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Firehouse Coffee - Dogs Welcome, People Tolerated
A number of painted fire hydrants sat outside the coffee shop. |
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