Fort Hamilton holds 197th birthday bash
Col. Craig Martin, commander of the Fort Hamilton Army Garrison, spoke at a reception at the Community Club to mark the post’s 197th birthday June 11.
Martin gave Good Neighbor awards to prominent Fort Hamilton supporters Lynda Thomson, the FDNY’s community outreach coordinator, and Joseph DeMarco, a former Brooklyn Kiwanis Club district lieutenant governor. Deputy to the Garrison Commander Charles Walker and Command Sgt. Maj. Eva Commons, a former Bay Ridge resident, also took part in the ceremonies.
Fort Hamilton is located on the southern tip of Bay Ridge and was established on June 11, 1825, when the cornerstone was set by French designer Simon Bernard, who also handled the construction of the fort from 1825-1831. Records reveal it was the first granite fort built in New York Harbor. It’s also the fourth oldest military installation in the U.S.