Staten Island · NYC landmark
Fort Richmond
Fort Wadsworth Reservation · Staten Island, New York City
A massive waterfront fort below a public overlook with views across New York Harbor.
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NYFE Summary
Fort Richmond, now called Battery Weed, guarded the Narrows from the water’s edge. Together with the higher Fort Tompkins and defenses across the channel, it was intended to put ships under fire from several directions. Its later name honors Stephen Weed, a Union general killed at Gettysburg.
Changes in artillery soon weakened that plan. Rifled shells could damage masonry walls, while larger guns would not fit the fort’s enclosed gun rooms. Battery Weed later served mainly for storage. The Fort Wadsworth overlook gives visitors a view of the fort, the shipping channel and its position below Fort Tompkins.
NYFE summary from the official history and visitor sources linked below.
Plan a visit
Check the operator’s current opening, admission and access information before travelling. Historic status does not guarantee public access to every interior.
Official visitor information ↗