Fort Foster

Named for John G Foster in 1900 Fort Foster is located in Kittery Maine on Gerrish Island. It was active from 1872-1948. Today it is a state park.

1870s Era

In 1873 a brick and mortar battery was built about where Battery Bohlen sits today. It would have had twelve guns and was named Battery Berry but was never completed. The Battery was abandon in 1879. There are no remains of the structure.

Endicott Era

The fort was refortified during the Spanish American War with the construction of Battery Bohlen in 1899. The battery was complete in 1902 named after Henry Bohlen and had three 12 inch Disappearing Rifles. The battery was built over the location of the 1870s battery. From 1917-1919 no guns were mounted on Battery Bohlen. Battery Chapin named for Edward Chapin was completed in 1904 with two 3 inch guns on pedestal mounts. Many post structures came and went during this time. In 1909 a secondary mine station was built behind the battery. It consisted of two levels with one observation level on top. The tower was used in conjunction with the similar station at fort Stark. Eventually the Mine Station would be built at Fort constitution. In 1920 a CRF (Coincidence Range Finder) station was built on top of the batteries magazines. In 1922 a searchlight shelter was built next to Battery Bohlen.

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  Battery Bohlen
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  1st Crows Nest
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  Emplacement 3 Shell Hoist
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  Emplacement Three
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  Emplacement three room
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  Emplacement Two Crows Nest
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  Inside of Crows Nest
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  Emplacement Two Shell Hoist
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  Emplacement Two Shell Hoist Area
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  Emplacement Two
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  Emplacement Two Room
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  Emplacement One Shell Hoist
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  Emplacement One
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  Emplacement One Crows Nest
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  Emplacement One Room
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  Another Emplacement One Crows Nest
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  End of Battery
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  Battery Chapin
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  Magazines
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  Emplacement Two
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  Emplacement Two Gun Mounts
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  Fire hydrant
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  1920 CRF
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  CRF Interior
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  CRF Mount
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  Window Remains
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  Entrance to station
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  Emplacement One Entrance
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  Emplacement One
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  Emplacement One Mount
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  Rear of Battery Chapin
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  Front of Battery Chapin
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  1922 Searchlight Shelter
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  1909 Mine Station Remains
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  Engineers Dock Remains
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  Engineers Dock Remains
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  Garage Foundation
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  Battery Bohlen 1980s JP Wysong

WW2 Era

During WW2 Fort Foster would be the only Portsmouth fort to be added to during WW2. Battery Construction 205 was initially going to be built on top of Battery Bohlen but instead was built on its own separate ground. The proposed name was to be Battery Curtis but it was never officially named. The battery was completed in 1944 and was to have two 6 inch guns but the tubes never arrived and the battery was deactivated at the wars end. The 1943 Battery Commanders station for the structure resembled a typical FC Tower at the time and did include a Base-End Station for the Mine Group Commander along with the Battery commanders station. In 1942 a Mine Casement and three story Double Mine Tower were built near Battery Bohlen. Another battery AMTB 952 was built in front of Battery Bohlen with two 90mm fixed mount guns. The ammunition for this battery was actually stored in the magazines of Battery Bohlen which had its guns scrapped in 1942. Another mobile AMTB Battery 352 was built near Battery 205 with 37mm guns (later Anti Aircraft Guns).

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  Battery 205 Emplacement Two Entrance
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  Battery 205 Emplacement Two
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  Battery 205 Emplacement One
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  Battery 205 Corridor
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  Battery 205 Emplacement One Electric Wiring
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  AMTB 952 Locale
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  Double Mine Tower
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  Tower Entrance Now Restrooms
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  Old Stair Location Mine Tower
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  Mine Casement Entrance
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  Emergency Exit Mine Casement
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  Mine Casement Vents
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  Unknown WW2 Structure
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  Geological Disk on Structure
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  Submarine Net Cribwork
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  Wood Island Lifesaving Station
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  Battery 205 Commanders Tower
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  Tower Door
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  Six Story Tower
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  Battery Commanders Tower
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  Electric Wiring on tower
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  Gate House
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  Fort Foster Ariel Image
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  Battery 205 Plan J.P. Wysong
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  Army Corps of Engineers Bridge for Fort Foster
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  Fort Foster Ariel Plan

Present

• Fort Foster Today
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  Fort Stark
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  1942 Rebuilt Peir
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  Foundation
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  Fort Foster Ariel 1996
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  View from Fort Stark

The fort officially closed in 1948 and all wooden structures were removed including the Wooden Mine Station behind Battery Chapin. The Navy used the fort for a little bit in the 1950s who removed the earth berm on Battery Chapin (Scrapped in 1945). The fort became a park and all the batteries and other structures were closed. In the 1980s the magazines of Battery Bohlen were filled to make the gun loading platforms level with the ground. The first floor of the Double Mine tower was converted to a bathroom. The concrete pillar from the wooden Mine Observation Station remains behind Battery Chapin. All post buildings were destroyed after the war and no guns remain. Located at Fort Foster State Park. Admission is charged at the front gate.

Sources:

northamericanforts.com

wikipedia.org

fortwiki.com

fortfoster.weebly.com

Jack P. Wysong The World, Portsmouth and the 22nd Coast Artillery Pictorial Histories Publishing Co. 1997