Fort Trumbull

Fort Trumbull is a pentagon-shaped granite structure sitting at the mouth of the Thames River, built between 1839 and 1852 using advanced military engineering methods. The compound includes gun emplacements, barracks, and fortified walls designed to protect the harbor from naval attack.

This fort was built after British forces under Benedict Arnold destroyed an earlier fortification in 1781 during the Revolutionary War. The new structure was designed to strengthen coastal defenses and prevent future attacks on the harbor.

The fort now functions as a learning space where visitors discover how military life was organized and how coastal defense evolved over time. Walking through the grounds, you can see how people prepared for and understood threats from the sea across different eras.

The fort is open Wednesday through Sunday, with a visitor center at the State Park entrance offering exhibits and information. Guided tours are especially helpful during summer months to better understand the different sections of the fortification.

From 1939 to 1946, the fort served as a training school for merchant marine officers, preparing thousands of them for wartime service. This period played an important role in American naval history during World War II.