Fort McGilvray, Military fortification at Caines Head, Alaska, United States.
Fort McGilvray is a military installation on Caines Head standing 650 feet (200 meters) above Resurrection Bay. The concrete structures are built into the hillside and feature gun emplacements positioned on both sides.
The US Army built this fort in 1941 to defend Seward and its strategically important ice-free port against possible Japanese invasion during World War II. The installation was part of America's broader defense strategy in the Pacific.
The fort's name honors an Army officer who commanded Fort Kenay in 1869, connecting this site to Alaska's military past. This naming choice reflects how the region valued its defensive role during wartime.
The site can be reached via a 5-mile coastal trail from North Beach or by water taxi from Seward. The best time to visit is between May and September when conditions are most favorable.
The concrete structures remain in surprisingly good condition, with original doors and windows still visible. The site earned recognition on the National Register of Historic Places in 2022.
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