| Fort Phoenix State Reservation | |
|---|---|
 Aerial view of the reservation; Fort Phoenix's remnant ramparts may be seen in the foreground at the bottom of the image | |
  Location in Massachusetts Show map of Massachusetts Fort Phoenix State Reservation (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Location | Fairhaven,Bristol, Massachusetts, United States |
| Coordinates | 41°37′27″N70°53′56″W / 41.62417°N 70.89889°W /41.62417; -70.89889[1] |
| Area | 28 acres (11 ha)[2] |
| Elevation | 7 ft (2.1 m)[1] |
| Established | Early 1960s |
| Governing body | Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation |
| Website | Fort Phoenix State Reservation |
Fort Phoenix State Reservation is a public recreation area onBuzzards Bay in thetown ofFairhaven,Massachusetts. The reservation encompasses 28 acres (11 ha) adjacent to the remains ofFort Phoenix, anAmerican Revolutionary War fort and national landmark from which the reservation takes its name. Off shore, the first naval battle of the Revolutionary War was fought near theElizabeth Islands, which may be visible from the remnants of the fort's ramparts.[3][4][5] Thestate park is maintained by theMassachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, whileFort Phoenix is separately managed and maintained by the town of Fairhaven.[6]
Military use of the fort ended in 1876.[6] The reservation's beach saw the first flush of popularity in the 1880s when visitors were brought here by trolley fromNew Bedford.
The property was put up for sale by the United States Government, and was bought in 1925 for $5,000 by Cara Broughton, daughter of Fairhaven native andStandard Oil Company industrialistHenry Huttleston Rogers, who then presented Fort Phoenix to the Town of Fairhaven as a public park.[6][7] Fort Phoenix was placed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1973.[6]
The park's half-mile beachfront offers swimming, hiking, picnicking and wheelchair-accessible restrooms,[3] as well as tennis and basketball courts, outdoor showers, grills, and playground.[6]
