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Fort Stevens

Fort Stevens, just outside Astoria, Oregon, was first built to protect towns on the Columbia River during the Civil War from Confederate gunboats, it was actually finished after the Confederate Army surrendered. The fort continued to expand and grow in the following years. During WWI, a number of the gun emplacements were shifted to France. During WWII, it was the site of the first attack on the US continent when a Japanese submarine tried to shell the fort.

We spent the afternoon walking the grounds, learning the history of the fort, and exploring the bunkers & gun installations. An interesting day immersed in cool history, but a little creepy.

The Civil war part of the fort included earthworks and a moat. Nothing else remains of the original fort.
The later fort included strategically placed batteries. Each round shaped area housed a large gun facing the mouth of the Columbia River.
The large guns would remain hidden behind the concrete until firing, then they would automatically pivot up, fire and sink back down.
A replica of the sign made bythe soldiers after the attempted Japanese bombing during WWII.
Darrin scanning the horizon for intruders.
Tidbit: Note the Picatinny armament on the gun’s powder canister. M’s grandparents worked at the Picatinny Arsenal during WWII.