Fort Getty

Fort Getty is an early 20th-century military installation in Jamestown that sits on roughly 40 acres of land at the water's edge with rocky shores. The grounds include preserved gun batteries, multiple areas for camping, and paths that lead to viewpoints overlooking the bay.

This installation was built in 1901 as part of a coastal defense network for Narragansett Bay and was one of several forts in the region. During World War II it served briefly as a prisoner camp before being converted later into a public park.

The location is named after a local figure and serves today as a place where visitors watch marsh birds and other wildlife in their natural setting. Walking paths guide you through wetlands where you experience the coastal landscape directly.

The grounds accommodate both RV and tent campers and can be explored on foot, with some paths leading to exposed areas near the water. Visitors should know that conditions along the rocky shoreline can be windy and wet, especially during rough weather.

The remains of several gun batteries display different designs from different decades of coastal defense history. Much of the original structures were deliberately partially destroyed to minimize safety hazards, which is why today only foundations and individual wall sections are visible.