National Register of Historic Places

Poloa Defensive Fortifications

Poloa, Western County, American Samoa
Listed
November 14, 2012
Type
Site
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
12000917

About this property

The Poloa Defensive Fortifications are a set of historic military structures on the island of Tutuila in American Samoa. Consisting of three concrete pillboxes along the beach, these fortifications were built by American Marines as part of a system of defenses against a feared Japanese amphibious invasion of Samoa during the early part of World War II. The Poloa pillboxes stand out from other emplacements on Tutuila for their relatively less robust construction, possibly reflecting American tactical planning for greater defense in depth at this location. The threat of invasion had eased by late 1942, and the fortifications never saw combat. The Poloa fortifications were added to the United States National Register of Historic Places in 2012.

Location

Poloa, Western County, American Samoa
-14.31318, -170.83564

Categories

ARCHITECTUREMILITARYENGINEERING
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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Nearby Historic Sites

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2.4 mi
Afao Beach Site
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Fagalele Boys School
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3.7 mi
Aasu
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5.3 mi
Turtle and Shark
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7.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Poloa Defensive Fortifications listed on the National Register?

Poloa Defensive Fortifications was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 14, 2012.

What type of historic resource is Poloa Defensive Fortifications?

Poloa Defensive Fortifications is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Poloa Defensive Fortifications?

The period of significance for Poloa Defensive Fortifications is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Poloa Defensive Fortifications?

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