Last updated: October 11, 2022
Place
Visitor Center & Dock
BHN/B. Knotts
Quick Facts
Location:
Georges Island
Significance:
Former storehouse for submarine mines
MANAGED BY:
Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation
Amenities
16 listed
Automated External Defibrillator (AED), Benches/Seating, Cellular Signal, Dock/Pier, Ferry - Passenger, Fire Extinguisher, First Aid Kit Available, Information, Information - Ranger/Staff Member Present, Information Kiosk/Bulletin Board, Picnic Shelter/Pavilion, Picnic Table, Restroom - Accessible, Restroom - Seasonal, Toilet - Flush, Water - Drinking/Potable
Built around 1825, the first wharf on Georges Island supported workers in the construction of a seawall and leveling the island for the fort to be built. By the 1890s, the army replaced an expanded wooden pier with a rail system to move submarine mines and their accompanying materials on and off the dock.
Built in 1906, the Visitor Center originally served as a storehouse for the submarine mines that played a critical role in the defense of Boston Harbor. Mines were placed in the harbor at predetermined points and depths, and connected to the fort via an electrical cable system. During both World Wars, vigilant operators inside the fort stood ready to detonate the mines in the event of an attack by German forces.
The guardhouse nearby operated as the security office for the fort and served as temporary confinement for soldiers in violation of their duty. Additionally, soldiers on guard duty covered fixed posts or patrolled a route from here.