One of over 200 historical markers on the island, this marker is located at the former site of Fort San Jacinto. The marker was erected by the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Inscribed
“The northeastern tip of Galveston Island has seen defense fortifications since the early 1800’s. Crude Spanish and French forts (1816-1818) gave way to small sand forts and batteries constructed by the Republic of Texas from 1836 to 1844. In 1863 the Confederate Army built sandbag breastworks and an earthen battery named Fort Point. All traces of these early fortifications were destroyed by the strong winds and tides which regularly reshaped the sandy tip of the island. A more substantial fortification call Fort San Jacinto was built here by the U.S. Army in 1897. After the fort was destroyed in the 1900 storm, the Galveston seawall was extended northward in 1921 to protect the area. The fort was rebuilt and new gun emplacements were added for the defense of Galveston during World War II. The round, concrete base of one of these 90-mm gun emplacements remains here today.”
“Fort San Jacinto was decommissioned in 1959.”
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