REFLECTIONS – Presented by The Westerly Historical Society
Wednesday July 10th – 6 PM
The Chaplin B. Barnes Reading Room | Lanphear Livery
One Bay Street Watch Hill, R.I.
Attendance is FREE & Refreshments will be served.
Join The Westerly Historical Society in the historic Lanphear Livery for Fort Mansfield, 1898-1926, A History, a presentation by Jack Spratt, local historian, and historical boat Captain. This event will also introduce REFLECTIONS, an oral history program presented by the Westerly Historical Society. In one-hour video episodes, REFLECTIONS documents the lives of 24 Westerly residents aged 80 to 101 who were born, raised and lived a lifetime in our historic community.
“Fixed fortifications are monuments to man’s stupidity. If mountain ranges and oceans can be overcome, anything made by man can be overcome.” –George S. Patton.
The presentation will feature the history of Fort Mansfield, its purpose, construction, service, and decommissioning. The sinking of the USS MAINE, on 15 February 1898 profoundly impacted Watch Hill. If not for the Spanish-American War (April 21 – December 10, 1898) the United States Government would not have purchased, in secret 60 Napatree acres to construct three Battery gun emplacements with four 5-inch and two 8-inch guns, a complement of 120 soldiers with support buildings, a pier, and railroad.
This program is presented by The Westerly Historical Society, with the support of The Watch Hill Conservancy.
