Fort Wood/Liberty Island

First of all my apologies for anyone who read this post last night.  I had a "Blair Waldorf" night on the town and should not have ever attempted to write a blog entry - much less one with an incorrect TITLE!  Here is the revised entry!

I was asked what was on Liberty Island before the statue, and I realized that I didn't know!  So - I found out.  Turns out that before "Liberty Island" was called "Liberty Island," It was Bedloe's Island and was home to a fort!  Fort Wood to be exact.  The pedestal the Statue of Liberty stands on in is actually placed on top of this fort!  Fort Wood is made out of granite and shaped like and 11 pointed star.  It was built between 1807 and 1811. It was used on and off by the U.S. army until 1937, when it was abandoned. During its heyday it housed 77 guns and 350 men.   In 1849 it was briefly used as an immigrant examination station.  After 1899, the park became a recruiting station more than than a fort.  The island was converted into Liberty Park in the 1950s.  The military buildings of "Bedsloe's Island" were removed during the1950s  leaving only the "Star Fort" which served and still serves as the base for the statue.