Fort Amador
Encyclopedia
Fort Amador and Fort Grant were former United States Army
bases protecting the Pacific (southern) end of the Panama Canal
at the Panama Bay
. Amador was the primary on-land site, lying below the Bridge of the Americas
. Grant consisted of a series of islands lying just offshore, some connected to Amador via a causway. Fort Sherman
was the corresponding base on the Atlantic (northern) side. All of the Forts were turned over to the Republic of Panama in 1999, and the area is now a major tourist attraction.
. In particular Sir Francis Drake, Captain Cook, and Henry Morgan
all used Taboga and Perico as refuges after raiding Spanish galleon
s. It was here that then-Captain Ulysses S. Grant
ended his cross-Panama march in 1852.
During the construction of the Canal, notably the Culebra Cut, waste material was dumped in a mangrove bush then known as the "Balboa dump". As the work progressed the dump was backfilled to create a large breakwater, which was later extended to the nearest of the offshore islands, Naos. This work was completed in 1912, and the Military Reservations were given their official names that year. Fort Amador is named for Manuel Amador Guerrero
, the first president of Panama, while Fort Grant was named to commemorate Grant's earlier crossing to that point.
The two Forts initially claimed only about 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) of land, but this expanded over the years to over 344. Amador was the primary infantry and support area, and grew to include a rather prominent "tank farm" for fuel storage. Grant was primarily for naval defence, and included a number of large batteries on the various islands. To supply them, the causeway was extended to connect from Naos to the other nearby islands, Culebra, Perico and Flamenco, all of which had batteries of various sizes. Grant also included the nearby unconnected islands of San Jose, Panamarca, Changarmi, Tortolita, Torola, Taboga, Cocovieceta, Cocovi, and Venado.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
bases protecting the Pacific (southern) end of the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
at the Panama Bay
Panama Bay
Panama Bay is a large body of water off the coast of southern Panama, at . It is a part of the greater Gulf of Panama....
. Amador was the primary on-land site, lying below the Bridge of the Americas
Bridge of the Americas
The Bridge of the Americas is a road bridge in Panama, which spans the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. Completed in 1962, at a cost of US$20 million, it was the only non-swinging bridge connecting the north and south American land masses until the opening of the Centennial Bridge in 2004...
. Grant consisted of a series of islands lying just offshore, some connected to Amador via a causway. Fort Sherman
Fort Sherman
Fort Sherman is a former United States Army base located on Toro Point at the Atlantic end of the Panama Canal, on the western bank of the Canal directly opposite Colón . It was the primary defensive base for the Atlantic sector of the Canal, and was also the center for US jungle warfare training...
was the corresponding base on the Atlantic (northern) side. All of the Forts were turned over to the Republic of Panama in 1999, and the area is now a major tourist attraction.
History
The offshore islands had always been considered excellent defensive grounds, and were long visited by English piratesPiracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
. In particular Sir Francis Drake, Captain Cook, and Henry Morgan
Henry Morgan
Admiral Sir Henry Morgan was an Admiral of the Royal Navy, a privateer, and a pirate who made a name for himself during activities in the Caribbean, primarily raiding Spanish settlements...
all used Taboga and Perico as refuges after raiding Spanish galleon
Galleon
A galleon was a large, multi-decked sailing ship used primarily by European states from the 16th to 18th centuries. Whether used for war or commerce, they were generally armed with the demi-culverin type of cannon.-Etymology:...
s. It was here that then-Captain Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
ended his cross-Panama march in 1852.
During the construction of the Canal, notably the Culebra Cut, waste material was dumped in a mangrove bush then known as the "Balboa dump". As the work progressed the dump was backfilled to create a large breakwater, which was later extended to the nearest of the offshore islands, Naos. This work was completed in 1912, and the Military Reservations were given their official names that year. Fort Amador is named for Manuel Amador Guerrero
Manuel Amador Guerrero
Manuel Amador Guerrero , was the first president of Panama from 20 February 1904 to 1 October 1908. He was a member of the Conservative Party....
, the first president of Panama, while Fort Grant was named to commemorate Grant's earlier crossing to that point.
The two Forts initially claimed only about 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) of land, but this expanded over the years to over 344. Amador was the primary infantry and support area, and grew to include a rather prominent "tank farm" for fuel storage. Grant was primarily for naval defence, and included a number of large batteries on the various islands. To supply them, the causeway was extended to connect from Naos to the other nearby islands, Culebra, Perico and Flamenco, all of which had batteries of various sizes. Grant also included the nearby unconnected islands of San Jose, Panamarca, Changarmi, Tortolita, Torola, Taboga, Cocovieceta, Cocovi, and Venado.
External links
- A History of Fort Amador and Fort Grant
- http://books.google.com/books?id=yt8DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA844&dq=Popular+Science+1935+plane+%22Popular+Mechanics%22&hl=en&ei=gdhATrWrH8qhsQLUgbXcCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CD0Q6AEwBDgU#v=onepage&q=Popular%20Science%201935%20plane%20%22Popular%20Mechanics%22&f=true"Gun Train Guards Ends of Panama Canal -- Rolling Fort Crosses Isthmus in Two Hours" Popular Mechanics, December 1934 pp.844-845] excellent drawings in article on the 14-inch M1920 railway gun14-inch M1920 railway gunThe 14-inch M1920 railway gun was the last large caliber railway gun to be deployed by the U.S. Army. It was an upgrade of the Navy 14"/50 caliber railway gun.- History :...