Fort Monroe was the largest masonry fort ever built in the United States. Its main fortification covered 63 acres, and its walls stretched 1.3 miles around it. The fort was so large that it took 15 years to build at a cost of nearly two million dollars. Built circa 1819 in Virginia from granite and brick, it was far larger than other U.S. forts built around the same time, including Fort Adams in Rhode Island at 20 acres, Fort Wool in Virginia at 15 acres, Fort McHenry in Maryland at 2 acres, Fort Pulaski in Georgia at 2 acres, and Fort Sumter in South Carolina at 2.4 acres. Even the next largest of these was less than a third the size of Fort Monroe. The Parade Ground, the open space at the center of the fort, covered four acres and was used for drills, ceremonies, and recreation.
