Fort Kearny (Rhode Island)
| Company type | Military installation (historical) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Coastal defense |
| Founded | 1901 |
| Defunct | 1943 |
| Fate | Disarmed and repurposed; now part of University of Rhode Island |
| Headquarters | Narragansett , United States |
Area served | Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island |
Fort Kearny was a coastal defense installation situated in the Saunderstown region of Narragansett, Rhode Island, operational between 1901 and 1943. In 1945, it functioned as a detention center for German prisoners of war and currently accommodates the University of Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay Campus. The fort’s designation is occasionally recorded as Fort Kearney in several references.
History
Erected as part of the Endicott Program (1904–1908) within the Coast Defenses of Narragansett Bay, Fort Kearny commemorates Major General Philip Kearny, a notable figure from the Civil War. Alongside Fort Getty and Fort Greble, it secured the West Passage of Narragansett Bay. The fort’s main weaponry comprised six 6-inch M1905 guns mounted on disappearing carriages—four positioned in Battery French and two in Battery Cram—plus two 3-inch M1903 guns housed in Battery Armistead. These batteries were named to honor military leaders William H. French, Thomas J. Cram, and Lewis G. A. Armistead.
In 1917, the six-inch guns from Battery French were removed for possible deployment on the Western Front during World War I; although three were shipped to France, none engaged in combat and were not reinstated at the fort afterward. During World War II, modernization efforts prioritized Fort Church and Fort Greene, resulting in Fort Kearny’s disarmament. The 3-inch guns of Battery Armistead were transferred to Fort Varnum in 1942, while the remaining 6-inch guns at Battery Cram were dismantled by 1943.
By February 1945, Fort Kearny was repurposed as a prisoner-of-war camp and served as the command center for a program dedicated to re-educating German detainees with democratic principles. This campaign included producing the German-language periodical Der Ruf (The Call), which formed part of a larger strategy to shape postwar German society.
Present
Today, Fort Kearny functions as the Narragansett Bay Campus for the University of Rhode Island. A compact nuclear research reactor is located atop Battery French, while Battery Cram and Battery Armistead have been adapted into office facilities.
See also
References
External links
- Comprehensive list of US coastal forts and batteries at the Coast Defense Study Group, Inc. website
- FortWiki database covering all CONUS and Canadian forts
- Forts in Rhode Island
- Buildings and structures in Narragansett, Rhode Island
- University of Rhode Island
- World War II prisoner-of-war camps in the United States
- 1908 establishments in Rhode Island
- 1946 disestablishments in Rhode Island
- Military installations established in 1908
- Military installations closed in 1946