Nature Is Reclaiming This One Abandoned New Jersey Spot And It’s Actually Amazing
Fort Hancock is a former United States Army fort at Sandy Hook. Built in 1859, the coastal artillery base was decommissioned in 1974. Portions of the base remain intact and the oldest working lighthouse in the nation stands on its grounds. Still, much of Fort Hancock is in disrepair.
The fort was active for over 100 years, but was most utilized during WWII, hosting over 7000 residents. These residents included members of the Women's Army Corps along with African American soldiers. This was fairly significant as the military had not officially been desegregated yet.
The fort housed a number of defense systems to protect our coast including cannons, barbette guns, anti-aircraft guns and nike missiles.
From 1874 until 1919, Sandy Hook was used as a proving ground for the military’s latest experimental weaponry. Fort Hancock is now part of the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area.
There is a museum to explore, but I would not recommend exploring the buildings themselves - they are structurally unsound and overflowing with poison ivy. The NPS recently brought in Nubian goats who eat the ivy to help combat the issue.
Can you believe these buildings have only been abandoned for about 40 years? It’s incredible to see how quickly Mother Nature is reclaiming her territory.
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