Ft Adams Advance Redoubt, almost beat the Cub Pictures Added

[Buzzard Wing]

For the past couple of years volunteers have been clearing the Advance Redoubt at Ft Adams. It's well hidden by brush on the high point south of the fort itself by about 1/4 mile away with military housing in between. Few lifetime residents even know it exists. That is until the Newport Daily News did a great front page article about the hidden 'castle'.

The fort is not on the 'ocean side', so it needed to be defended against the possibility of an enemy landing troops on the southern end of the island. The land defenses are by far more elaborate than any in North America. It's truly a unique place. The redoubt was built in the mid 1840's under the supervison of Issac Ingalls Stevens, Rufus' cousin. He went on to be the first territorial governor of Washington and surveyed the northern Pacific RR route on his way to his new job.

A map of Ft Adams State Park:
http://www.fortadams.org/gallery_pages/state_park.htm

About a month ago I set out to mow it... I hadn't seen it in a few months and immediately knew the flail mower would be challenged. After clearing out the posion ivy and other vines from around the cutter shaft a few times I called for backup, defeated! When I looked down from the 3rd floor at the poor little Lo Boy with the wrong mower, I figured I would give it one more shot.... got it done.

Since then the CDSG volunteers, the Naval Suppy School volunteers and some 'community service' folks have done a lot of work clearing brush, hauling trees and even sweeping the place out. Surely a few thousand man hours on the place... all volunteer! Even had a late to the party JD, complete with an operator that ain't afraid of it! I think I got my 'York rake' license too, not bad for a complete novice.

It was seeded after I was finished raking yesterday by Jack McCormack (Ft Adams Trust Site Manager) and some left over hay from the Folk Festival was being spread this morning. Thanks to Boss Hog for advise on turf advise, we should have a really nice crop of grass next year (with some hay).





















Edited to show the first mow earlier this month (Oct)... it was greener before I kicked up the hay. Real pleased with the outcome.

[Cecil]

Great job Larry. I'm sure everyone who can now see the results appreciate your work.

[Barnyard]

I like it Larry. You are to be commended for your dedication.

[Buzzard Wing]

Thanks guys. I forgot to mention the double helix granite circular stairs, probably the only one in the country. They ripped out the top of one and replaced some of the granite with concrete (you can see the rebar and crumbling concrete) on the other. Guess they needed to get something up that wouldn't fit with the stairs there??

And thought I would add a pair of before and after from the drawbridge (or was originally a drawbridge).

[Harold R]

Well done.....and all this time I've been gazing down on Providence trying to catch a glimpse of Ft. Adams and it's premier greens keeper. Newport, eh? Isn't on our road into Beantown.

[Michael Beck]

Looks great. The one thing great about hard work is looking back and smiling upon what has been accomplished. You and the volunteers keep up the good work.

[ScottyD'sdad]

Wow, Larry, its shaping up. I really need to get my butt over there, to check it out! Ed

[beaconlight]

Looks great LARRY

[Buzzard Wing]

Funny Harold, the last time crossed the 'big pond' from Europe to NY I had a perfect view. Not sure where the highway in the sky is, you may go over Cape Cod? If you were flying south and could drop down a bit, it would look like this http://binged.it/UlTTlJ . From the south would be the 'defensive' side and not quite as photogenic. The photos are a few years old, so don't show things like the two ditches well. Mostly because they were full of trees and brush back then. You can rotate the view on the compass rose. A top down view (google) is very hard to distinguish what you are seeing.

[Bob Perry]

I went down there twice this summer, and can attest that Larry has done a lot of hard work restoring this national treasure !

[Scrivet]

I'm impressed with the transformation. I'm REALLY impressed with whoever cut down that tree with those pruners on the stump. I sure wouldn't wanna get on his wrong side!

[Harold R]

They keep us north of the JFK traffic...and usually low over PVD because the euro bound heavies are headed up over bangor and are not climbing too swiftly......for us.....it's either PVD or MHT as an arrival gate into Boston. Maybe on a long nap over I'll rent a car and drive out one day.

[RaymondDurban]

Looks great Larry! Thanks for your time in preserving part of our nations history!

[KETCHAM]

Some of my most satisfying work is volunteering~!!!Nice!!! Looks great.Kevin

[scotlem]

awesome, can't wait to see it again