Many of us are familiar with Fort Hancock in Sandy Hook, but you may not know about its unique past. An Army fort and coastal artillery base was established in 1859 to defend the Atlantic Coast and New York Harbor. The Fort at Sandy Hook was never completed, but new fortifications were added and in 1895, the site became Fort Hancock. The fort is home to Sandy Hook Light, the oldest working lighthouse in the United States, along with several other intriguing features.

Disappearing Guns

In 1893, Fort Hancock installed the nation's first disappearing gun battery. By 1902, there were nine disappearing guns, so named because they were not visible from the sea. The guns were loaded behind concrete walls and lifted to be fired. During WWII, no other site had so many guns of this type. Pictured above is one of the aforementioned guns.

Nuclear Missile Site

While the disappearing guns were instrumental to our defense in the event of an attack, the classified location became one of the Army's top secret Nike missile sites in 1954.The supersonic missiles were designed to take down aircraft and utilized conventional explosives until 1958. The introduction of the "Nike Hercules" allowed for the use of nuclear warheads. Fort Hancock was one of two sites in the New York area to be a double battery site.While missiles were typically stored underground in both batteries, they were raised several times throughout the 1960s and '70s. Fort Hancock was on full alert in November of 1965 (Northeast Blackout), June of 1967 (Six Day War) and October of 1973 (Yom Kippur War).

Missile

The area was heavily guarded until the base was decommissioned in 1974. Soldiers were ordered to release attack dogs and shoot to kill on sight. Strict security measures were necessary to protect the 30-40 kiloton nuclear warheads. In comparison, the bomb dropped on Hiroshima was about 13 kilotons.

Officer's Row

After the base was closed in 1974, ownership was transferred to the National Park Service. A National Historic Site, several of the buildings have been restored while others are now available for lease.Other interesting facts about Fort Hancock? The base typically was home to about 800, but from 1941-1944, the Army base held over 7,000 soldiers and their families. Most lived in more basic barracks, but Officers, along with Senior Sergeants and their families, were offered more luxurious living quarters (pictured). The site also stands out as it housed both female and African American soldiers before Harry Truman mandated integration in 1947.

Entrance to Fort Hancock

Of 250 former Nike Missile sites, few remain intact. While the National Park Service tried to save about three dozen structures, the goal is now to re-purpose the buildings and preserve history.Presently, visitors can enjoy a variety of tours at the site. Tours are conducted on select weekends from April to November. The next Battery Potter tour will be held on Saturday, 6/25. Battery Potter was the first concrete disappearing gun battery built in America. Visitors can also opt for a bike tour on 6/26 at noon, exploring several sites on the grounds. If you're more interested in the once classified missile site, in depth tours are held seasonally on Sundays. Guests can learn, explore and interact with veterans who were stationed at Fort Hancock. Tours are free. For additional information visit NPS.gov.

Did you learn anything new about this historic site? Do you have your own stories to share about the New Jersey landmark? If you absolutely love it and are interested in living or working at Fort Hancock, click here for leasing information. While you're in Sandy Hook, be sure to tour the lighthouse as well. Open 7 days a week, children must be 48" to climb. Another interesting site on Sandy Hook? Battery John Gunnison. Maintained by the non-profit Army Ground Forces Association, the battery has been restored to such a point where it is one of the most well-preserved seacoast batteries in the United States.