Fort Tilden

Fort Tilden is a former coastal defense post on the Rockaway Peninsula between Jamaica Bay and the Atlantic. Concrete bunkers, military buildings and maritime woods spread across the sprawling grounds.

The US Army built the installation in 1917 to protect New York Harbor. Heavy artillery positions remained in operation until closure in the 1970s.

Artists use the abandoned military buildings for exhibitions and open-air performances. Theater and cultural events take place between the old bunkers.

The grounds open daily from 6 AM to 9 PM and are reachable by the Q35 or Q22 bus lines. Paths run mostly on flat terrain along the coast.

Battery Harris includes two casemate-style concrete structures that once housed large coastal guns. From here one can overlook parts of the Atlantic and the bay today.

Location: Queens

Inception: April 1917

Operator: National Park Service

Website: https://nps.gov/gate/learn/historyculture/fort-tilden.htm

GPS coordinates: 40.56111,-73.89583

Latest update: December 13, 2025 17:54