Fort Totten photograph collection
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Abstract
This collection consists of 48 gelatin silver photographs, ca. 1940-1945. The photos are mainly of World War II soldiers training at what seems to be Fort Totten Army base in Queens, NY, along with images of war ships in the Hudson River and an official Army dinner.
Historical Note
Fort Totten is a former active United States Army installation on a 136 acre site in Queens, NY. The coastal defense fort was originally funded by Congress in 1857, and construction began in 1862 during the U.S. Civil War. It was first known as the Fort at Willet's Point (1857-1861) then as Camp Morgan (1861-1898) and finally as Fort Totten (1898-Present) named for Maj. Gen. Joseph G. Totten, Chief Engineer of the Army.
The 62nd Coast Artillery was stationed at Fort Totten in 1922, and in 1941it set up the first anti-aircraft radar installation on the east coast. Fort Totten served as the headquarters for the anti-aircraft portion of the Eastern Defense Command during World War II, organizing anti-aircraft defenses for the entire east coast. In the Cold War era, Fort Totten served as the Headquarters for 1st Region NIKE missile defense system for New York and New England from 1954 to 1974. Under a military downsizing plan, Congress approved the closing of Fort Totten in 1995, though the U.S. Army Reserve continues to maintain a presence there. Fort Totten was designated a New York City Historic District in 1999, preserving over 100 historic structures related to New York's role in U.S. military history and harbor defense. In 2004, 49.5 acres of the area was turned over to the NYC Parks Department, and in 2005 Fort Totten Park opened to the public.
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of 48 gelatin silver prints from the World War II era (ca. 1940-45). The majority of the photographs depict soldiers training and doing drills, including with explosives and gas masks, at what seems to be Fort Totten, Queens, NY. Other photographs include war ships in New York harbor, President Truman in a car, and General Robert Lee Bullard's 82nd birthday dinner. The photographer(s) are unidentified for all but two of the items.
Conditions Governing Access
Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.
Conditions Governing Use
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.
Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.
Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions
Preferred Citation
This collection should be cited as: Fort Totten Photograph Collection, PR 326, Department of Prints, Photographs and Architectural Collections, The New-York Historical Society.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Robert Kushner, 2014.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Processed by Marybeth Kavanagh.