Military
Governors Island National Monument preserves Fort Jay and Castle Williams, the island’s oldest and most important military works, on a portion of Governors Island in New York Harbor near Manhattan. Built as part of early American coastal fortification systems, these defenses helped guard New York City from attack by sea and later figured in the War of 1812, the Civil War, and the world wars. Governors Island served as an Army post from 1794 until 1966, then as the Coast Guard’s largest base there until 1996. Established in 2001 and reaffirmed after transfer in 2003, the monument secured federal protection for the island’s key fortifications during its transition to public use.
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New York, New York · United States
