Castle William

Castle William: 1811, Kings County, Brooklyn, Governor's Island. Started in 1807 and completed 1811 of red sandstone. Named for its designer Jonathan Williams from Newark, a nephew of Benjamin Franklin. A three tiered 100 gun roundhouse (horseshoe), 200 feet in diameter, 40 feet high, 8 feet thick based on a French design. It was the first casemated fort in North America, its multi-tiered parapets provided greater firepower than earlier fort designs. Held Confederate prisoners 1862-1870.

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