About this property
Fort Delaware is a former harbor defense facility, designed by chief engineer Joseph Gilbert Totten and located on Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River. During the American Civil War (1861–1865), the Union / United States Department of War / United States Army used Fort Delaware as a prison for Confederate prisoners of war, political prisoners, miscellaneous civilians, federal convicts, and privateer officers. A three-gun concrete battery of 12-inch guns, later named Battery Torbert, was designed by Maj. Charles W. Raymond and built inside the fort in the 1890s. By 1900, the fort was part of a three fort concept, the first forts of the Coast Defenses of the Delaware, working closely with Fort Mott further upstream on the opposite shore, in Pennsville, New Jersey, and Fort DuPont downstream in Delaware City, Delaware.
Location
Federal Designation
The National Register of Historic Places, administered by the National Park Service, is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical, architectural, archaeological, engineering, or cultural significance. Listing on the National Register recognizes a property's importance to American history but does not place restrictions on private owners; it does, however, make properties eligible for federal historic preservation tax incentives and enables consideration in federal planning decisions. This property is recorded in the National Register under reference number 71000226. It was listed on December 16, 1971.
Categories
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.
Questions about this property
When was Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island listed on the National Register?
Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 16, 1971.
What type of historic resource is Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island?
Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island?
The period of significance for Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island is recorded as the civil_war era, specifically around 1861.
Can I research the history near Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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An Aubrey US report for an address near Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.