After spending the morning learning more about Clinical Nurse Leadership than I ever expected to know by attending a surprisingly interesting set of presentations, I had the afternoon free and was already in the seacoast area.
Gallery / slide show
This was one of the hottest, ickiest days in memory ( not that I try to remember such days), and I'd been wanting to check out Fort Constitution for a while. Hmmm ... AC car ride, seacoast exploration vs garden work in the interior of Rockingham county.
Easy choice :)
Portsmouth is home, it turns out , to 4 fort sites. These are now rehabbed into state parks or historic sites; although, Fort Constitution still also hosts an active Coast Guard site. If you look across the river to Maine I believe there are 3 more.
It takes a little bit of work to get to Fort Constitution, it is off the main roads, but it is not hard to find. Parking was slightly difficult to figure out as there are several other busy enterprises nearby, but the signs were clear enough.
The fort itself is of course in disrepair - old brick, stone and concrete work. Some of the area is hazardous, but the dangerous spots are fenced and off limits. It is not a playground, though there is plenty of open space kids could run in. Just use common sense.
You enter Fort C by crossing thru the Coast Guard station ( Stay on the Painted Path!) . It's open from 8 to 4, but is subject to closure during heightened security events. I don't know whether there is an easy way to check ahead.
Originally known as Fort William and Mary, Fort C far predates the Revolution. There is a good deal of information online about both forts, but to me the most surprising fact to learn was that, 4 months before Lexington, the fort was the site of what was probably the first military action of the Revolution, triggered by ... yup, none other than Paul Revere. Busy lad he must have been!
The Harbor Lighthouse is also part of Fort C. There is a volunteer organization that manages tours of the harbor lighthouse , which is otherwise off limits.
Although the Harbor Lighthouse is considered a major sight I took no pictures of it. There just weren't any views of the lighthouse that I found appealing from the grounds of the old fort.
I only knew about Fort Constitution, but in a chance conversation another visitor told me about Fort Stark. Thank you!
While both Constitution and Stark have some crumbling ( and off limits) areas, Fort Stark, particularly, had a set of steps within the visitors' area that made me wary. I take a LOT of pictures, and have trained myself to be hyper-conscious of places where I might step off into air while trying to focus on something other than my feet ... Careful attention here, you bet!
Very glad I visited Stark. It's a bit more off the beaten path ( it took a little hunting to find it, never saw a sign) , and has a more relaxed, less 'touristy' feel , which I liked a lot.
Forts Constitution and Stark Road Maps
I plan a Part 2 report when I visit some of the remaining forts ... but I have no schedule in mind ...