17 years, part two

[fbhjr]

For our 17th wedding anniversary, my wife and I went out to George’s Island in Boston harbor.

Ranger Andy gave us a guided tour of Fort Warren on the island.


Fall on the Boston islands is a very pretty time.


Being on the ranger tour instead of just the self guided one gave us access to rooms normally locked like the old officer’s personal quarters.


I have to say, it really, really looked like the apartment my wife and I used to live in before we got married.

To the point where the wood is even painted the same color.
Of course, they were built about the same time...

I’m told Fort Warren is the only one of the coastal forts that still has the cedar wood lining in what used to be the powder storage rooms.


Of course there are plenty of other rooms honeycombing the fort walls.


As the south never invaded Boston in the Civil War, the fort was used to house prisoners of war. I’m told that several escaped through the “arrow slit” type musket windows.

They must have been very motivated to get through there.

I don’t think it would be that bad a place to be captured, and I guess it was regarded as one of the nicest places to be sent.


Ranger Andy did explain about how the fort was modeled on European castles. I thought this strange as European castles have the stairs going clockwise up so that defenders on the top can get a better swing with their right arm. These stairs went the wrong way.

But, Ranger Andy explained that this fort was built this way on purpose as they expected invaders to climb the walls and descend, not start at the bottom and work up.
So, the stairs were still designed for right handed fighters.

They have removed most of the cannons from the battlements.


This is the entrance to the harbor the fort was built to defend.

They have long since dredged a bigger channel to the north of these islands, so it is strange for me to think of all ships coming into Boston going through “The Narrows” between these two islands.

But, Ranger Andy says the channel is still in use and when the larger north channel is full, he’s seen container ships come through the straights.
I wouldn’t want to get such a big ship through it.


The other side of the fort faces the town of Hull that sits on a peninsula out from the shore.

The fort protected that approach as well.

Just past this island is “Boston Light” the only coast guard light in the country that still has a full time keeper that lives there with it.

He said she lives there with her husband, and has been known to give tours in the summer months. But, I don’t know how to sign up for those.

It was the best day I can remember in a long time.

Even though my foot still hurt from the show last week (where I dropped the fire kit on my big toe) it was still a lot of fun walking around with my wife.


The tour ended on the battlements and we climbed down the earthen wall to the sea wall.


I was amazed at how clear and blue the water was. That is not how I think of Boston harbor. But, they’ve done a lot to clean it up in the 35-40 years since I came out there as a kid.


The tour was done, but we still explored the fort on our own.





Not all parts of the fort are “Frank sized”.


Despite being out in the harbor, our cellphones worked and the iPad didn’t have any trouble picking up the AT&T signal for internet.

Comments

[morgan-lafaye.livejournal.com]

If you remind me, I'll ask Vinny about getting out to see the lighthouse. He might know how to get a tour.

[palusbuteo.livejournal.com]

YAY! I'm so glad you got to go see the fort. I have been meaning for 2 years now to go to the big Civil War event they have at the fort/on the island, but haven't been able to yet. It was indeed great weather to be outside.

[pallid-regina.livejournal.com]

Wow, pretty place!

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

My wife put it on the list of places to bring you & Lance if you come visit.