Fort Gibson-- Part 8: The Other Ellis Island Story of Two Forts

From HDdb.

To most people today, the name Ellis Island invokes thoughts of immigrants coming to a new land.

An area has been cleared off at Ellis Island revealing the remains of Fort Gibson.

Ir was one of the earliest forts built after the American Revolution to protect the new country and New York Harbor.  They were discovered during   the excavations for the American Immigrant Wall of Honor.  These evidence the nearly 100 years  when Ellis Island was used to ward off enemies rather than to welcome immigrants.

Two forts stood on this site.  The first was a crescent-shaped structure of wood and sod built in 1794 on the edge of what then was the island's shoreline.

--Brock-Perry