Fort Hancock at Sandy Hook

[USS ALASKA]

NJ.com
Beloved Jersey Shore fort that's been crumbling for decades may finally get some federal help
Eric Conklin
August 15, 2025

Fort Hancock on Sandy Hook — one of New Jersey's oldest and most historic military bases — may get a portion of $135.6 million in federal funding to help preserve its crumbling buildings. Preservation work for the fort is listed in an appropriations bill for the U.S. Department of the Interior, a federal agency that has jurisdiction over national parks and federally protected land. If approved by Congress, the bill would still need to be signed by President Donald Trump to become law. The fort, part of Gateway National Park on Sandy Hook in Monmouth County, is on the Jersey Shore's northern tip. The fort has largely fallen into disrepair since being decommissioned in 1974. A U.S. Army fort since Colonial times, the base at the northern tip of Sandy Hook was known as the Sandy Hook Proving Ground before it was renamed Fort Hancock in 1895.

Full article with pics here - https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/beloved-jersey-shore-fort-crumbling-132600059.html

It has been more than four decades since the U.S. Army deactivated Fort Hancock at Sandy Hook and turned it over to the National Park Service. And it has been two decades since the Park Service first put out requests for proposals seeking private entities to rehabilitate vacant buildings at the fort. Asbury Park Press Editorial Page Editor Randy Bergmann posed a number of questions to Jennifer T. Nersesian, superintendent of the Sandy Hook Unit of the Gateway National Recreation Area, about what the future holds for the preservation of existing buildings at Fort Hancock:

Full article here - https://www.app.com/story/opinion/c...rt-hancock-sandy-hook-preservation/611909002/

Fort at Sandy Hook (Fort Hancock) | Forts, Fortifications, & Other Forgotten Places

In 1859, Army Engineers started building a massive, granite masonry fort at the north end of Sandy Hook. However, before the "Fort at Sandy Hook" could be completed, rifled artillery was introduced. This new technology pulverized brick and granite walled forts, making this type of fortification...

civilwartalk.com

Cheers,
USS ALASKA

 

[bayonet]

Wow I was out there 1 year along time ago with the Army Reserves doing small boat training. I can't remember that site probably because we stayed and slept on the beach at the most northern western tip. There was a nude beach there but the Officers won't let us go there

But I do remember we were doing water extraction from a small boat (what they call them pontoon RB15 or RB 7 or 8 RB for rubber boat). That's where you throw your arm up into a circular tube and they yank you into the boat from the water as it drives right up to you. Well a guy shows up with the circular rubber tube he made but me having experience I warned it was too large and needed to be smaller. Did they listen to the guy with experience, NOPE. So smartly I backed down from going first or being the guy in the boat to yank the guy in the water into the boat. Sure enough the tube creator goes first in the water, gets dragged far too long (you really have to throw your whole arm up into the circle), and I can't remember if they eventually got him into the boat. BUT the end result he dislocated his shoulder, off to the hospital with him. It must of been a bad injury because he was a medical discharge! Lesson here listen to those with experience!

 

[Lampasas Bill]

My grandfather served there in the coast artillery before WWI. He was a country boy from the Kentucky mountains, and I have often wondered if he ever had a pass to New York City. If you have family questions like that, by all means ask your elders now before it's too late.

 

[bayonet]

My grandfather served there in the coast artillery before WWI. He was a country boy from the Kentucky mountains, and I have often wondered if he ever had a pass to New York City. If you have family questions like that, by all means ask your elders now before it's too late.

Wonder if they had that nude beach there back in 1914? Grandpa would of made good use of his Artillery Binoculars while of duty!

 

[Trooper "D"]

Wow I was out there 1 year along time ago with the Army Reserves doing small boat training. I can't remember that site probably because we stayed and slept on the beach at the most northern western tip. There was a nude beach there but the Officers won't let us go there

But I do remember we were doing water extraction from a small boat (what they call them pontoon RB15 or RB 7 or 8 RB for rubber boat). That's where you throw your arm up into a circular tube and they yank you into the boat from the water as it drives right up to you. Well a guy shows up with the circular rubber tube he made but me having experience I warned it was too large and needed to be smaller. Did they listen to the guy with experience, NOPE. So smartly I backed down from going first or being the guy in the boat to yank the guy in the water into the boat. Sure enough the tube creator goes first in the water, gets dragged far too long (you really have to throw your whole arm up into the circle), and I can't remember if they eventually got him into the boat. BUT the end result he dislocated his shoulder, off to the hospital with him. It must of been a bad injury because he was a medical discharge! Lesson here listen to those with experience!

I wonder if your tube guy thought, "Hold my beer. Watch this" at anytime during that training.

 

[Trooper "D"]

Wonder if they had that nude beach there back in 1914? Grandpa would of made good use of his Artillery Binoculars while of duty!View attachment 558102

Yeah. "I've got this gut feeling that something is off over that way. I'm going on patrol. If I'm not back in 4, 5, or 7, maybe 8 hours come lookin' for me. I'm goin' in."