Fort Wool in the Chesapeake Bay-- Part 2: Birds vs. History?

Tourists arrive at Fort Wool on the  Miss Hampton II. a tour boat sailing out of Hampton.  Those traveling the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel can see Fort Wool, lying to the east, on man-made South Island.

Construction started on the fort in 1819, and during the next 125 years, Fort Wool evolved as military technology advanced, resulting in a  rare fort that contains military architecture that spans the entire era of United States seacoast defense.

Notable are the remaining granite casemates dating to 1826, though most of the fort's defenses date from the early 20th century, including the World War II Battery 229 which included two 6-inch shielded guns and its iconic  steel tower.

While fully  recognizing the need for nesting sites for migratory seabirds and completing the tunnel-bridge expansions, these solutions need not and should not come at the expense of the permanent loss of a historic treasure.

The site, in the middle of Hampton Roads, near the  1862 USS Monitor-CSS Virginia battle, offers dramatic views of the Chesapeake Bay and Fort Monroe.

--Brock-Perry