Fort Stark, New Hampshire - Legends Of America
WWII Harbor Entrance Control Post at Fort Stark, New Hampshire, disguised to look like a coastal mansion. Photo courtesy Wikipedia.
The former military fortification of Fort Stark, New Hampshire, is located on Jerry’s Point in New Castle. Overlooking the Piscataqua River, Little Harbor, and the Gulf of Maine, the old fort is a state historic site and state park today that is open to the public during daylight hours.
Located on the southeastern tip of New Castle Island, the post was first fortified in 1746 as Battery Cumberland, with nine 32-pounder cannons. The earliest forts were built to protect the colonists, and Fort Stark was one of seven forts built to protect Portsmouth Harbor. The others included Forts Washington, Constitution (William and Mary), and Dearborn in New Hampshire, and Forts Sullivan, McClary, and Foster in Maine.
The fort was rebuilt in 1775 for the American Revolution and armed with new guns, including two 32-pounders and six 24-pounders. However, these were soon removed to arm other forts in the area. Several of the guns captured at nearby Fort William and Mary were used to rearm this fort in September 1775, which was garrisoned until 1778. It was named in honor of John Stark, who commanded the New Hampshire forces at the Battle of Bennington in 1777.
Fort Stark Ordnance Building Museum, New Castle, New Hampshire, photo by Carol White, courtesy Fort Wiki.
In 1794, a new battery for nine guns was built on the site as part of the First System of U.S. fortifications. With the establishment of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in 1800, harbor defense became critical.
During the War of 1812, a company of 120 militiamen under Captain William Marshall garrisoned the redoubt. At this time, the guns were a mix of 6-pounders and 9-pounders. The redoubt was abandoned soon after the war ended in 1815.
In 1861, plans were drawn for a large stone fort on the site to become part of the Third System of fortifications, but the fort was never built.
In 1873, the United States acquired the property as part of a modernization of seacoast defenses. At that time, the earlier stone forts were found to be vulnerable to the rifled cannon, and new defenses were planned. In 1874, earthworks for eight 15-inch Rodman smoothbore guns were planned as the “Battery at Jerry’s Point,” with an additional three “heavy guns” in the old redoubt. However, funding was cut off in 1876, with the new battery about two-thirds complete. More construction occurred in the following years, but the battery was never armed.
In 1887, the Jerry’s Point Lifesaving Station was built on the west side of the point, which remained in service until 1908, when the Portsmouth Harbor Lifesaving Station was built on Wood Island near Fort Foster.
Battery Hunter at Fort Stark, New Hampshire, courtesy Wikipedia.
In 1898, shortly after the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, emergency batteries were constructed to quickly arm critical points, as it was feared the Spanish fleet would bombard the U.S. East Coast. At Fort Stark, these consisted of two 8-inch guns. These guns were removed in 1900 to make room for the new batteries at Fort Stark.
Construction of a new fort began in 1901 and was completed in 1905. The new defenses included four batteries, and facilities for controlling an underwater minefield in the harbor were added in 1907-1909. As with other U.S. seacoast forts, Fort Stark was garrisoned by the United States Army Coast Artillery Corps and became part of the Coast Defenses of Portsmouth, along with Fort Foster and Fort Constitution.
When the United States entered World War I, some of Fort Stark’s guns were dismounted and sent to Europe. During World War II, the Harbor Defenses of Portsmouth were garrisoned by the 22nd Coast Artillery Regiment. In 1942, a new combined Army-Navy Harbor Entrance Control Post and Harbor Defense Command Post was built atop the inactive Battery Kirk and disguised as a seaside mansion. Afterward, the guns were removed and sent to other posts, and the batteries were deactivated.
The fort was officially deactivated in 1948 and turned over to the Navy in 1950, which used the site for harbor defense until 1953. It then became a reserve training center until 1980. The property was then turned over to the state of New Hampshire, which developed it as a state park.
The historic site includes a small museum in the Visitors’ Center, which features one of the remaining 3-inch guns. The visitor’s center is open every Saturday, from 12:00 to 4:00 pm, from Memorial Day until Labor Day.
A walking trail traverses the ten-acre fort site where numerous remains can be seen, including the World War II Harbor Entrance Control Post disguised as a seaside mansion, batteries, gun emplacements, the 1910 Ordnance Machine Shop, and more.
The park gate is open from Memorial Day through Columbus Day, with parking available from 8 am to 8 pm. There are no restrooms and only limited parking.
More Information:
Portsmouth Harbor, New Castle, New Hampshire, by Carol Highsmith.
Fort Stark State Historic Site 211 Wildrose Lane New Castle, New Hampshire 03854 603-271-3556
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated November 2025.
Also See:
New Hampshire -The Granite State
Destinations Across America
Forts Across the United States
Forts & Presidios Photo Gallery
New Hampshire Photo Gallery
Sources:
New Hampshire State Parks Wikipedia
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