40°44′23″N74°00′32″W / 40.73972°N 74.00889°W /40.73972; -74.00889
| Fort Gansevoort | |
|---|---|
| New York Cityborough ofManhattan,New York, betweenGansevoort Street and West 12th Street | |
.jpg) Fort Gansevoort | |
| Location | |
  Fort Gansevoort  Fort Gansevoort  Fort Gansevoort | |
| Coordinates | 40°44′23″N74°00′32″W / 40.73972°N 74.00889°W /40.73972; -74.00889 |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1812 |
| Built by | United States Army Corps of Engineers |
| In use | 1812–1849 |
| Materials | redsandstone |
| Fate | demolished 1854 |
| Battles/wars | War of 1812 |
Fort Gansevoort is a formerUnited States Army fort in theNew York City borough ofManhattan. It was also known as theWhite Fort due to itswhitewashed exterior.[1]
The fort was named forPeter Gansevoort, aRevolutionary War officer. It was located betweenGansevoort Street and West 12th Street, near the west end of Gansevoort Street, strategically positioned to defend theHudson River. The fort was completed in 1812, shortly after the outbreak of theWar of 1812, and mounted 22 guns, along with ashot furnace, magazine, arsenal, and barracks.[2] Some sources state that construction began in 1808; however, the fort does not appear in the Secretary of War's report on fortifications for December 1811.[3] Forts built with state or local resources did not appear in these reports. The fort was part of what was later called thesecond system of US fortifications.
In support of the fort, North Battery, constructed similarly toCastle Clinton, was built on landfill in the Hudson River, and connected to Manhattan by a bridge atCanal Street.[4]
Samuel Akerly served as Post Surgeon for the fort.[5]
Fort Gansevoort did not see action, as New York City was not attacked in that war. It was demolished in either 1849 or 1854 (references vary).[6] It was on the site of a previous weapons development center, whereGeorge Bomford developed the firstcolumbiadcannon.[7]
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