County: Mobile
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude: 30°14′54″N 88°04′32″W
Elevation:
Time Zone: Central (CST) (UTC-6)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments: Fort Gaines is a historic fort on Dauphin Island, Alabama Ghost Townabama, United States. It was named for Edmund Pendleton Gaines. Established in 1821, it is best known for its role in the Battle of Mobile Bay during the American Civil War.
Remains: Significant masonry damages have been sustained during hurricanes and tropical storms in the past decade. Though these damages have been largely repaired, the fort continues to be under threat from erosion. The fort sits on the east end of Dauphin Island, only feet from the Gulf of Mexico. Ongoing erosional losses of sand dunes and beaches total up to 10 feet per year. For these reasons, the Civil War Preservation Trust placed Fort Gaines on its History Under Siege listing on March 18, 2009. The listing identifies the ten most endangered Civil War battlefields in the United States. Additionally, it was placed on the list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2011.
Current Status: Historic
Remarks: Defensive fort on Mobile Bay. Now serves as a museum and tourist attraction on Dauphin Island.
