Fort Carroll And Its Birds (13 photos)

This abandoned sea fort near Dundalk, Maryland, has become an accidental bird sanctuary.





A heavily fortified hexagon firmly planted in the Patapsco River near the Key Bridge is Fort Carroll, an abandoned Civil War fort built by Robert E. Lee. Today, it is so overgrown that it serves as an informal bird sanctuary.



Fort Carroll was built in the late 1840s to protect the city of Baltimore from naval attack. But like many forts of the time, it never lived up to its potential. The artificial island's base was designed as a concrete hexagon surrounding a central courtyard with large gun mounts facing the most attackable corner.

The fort's armament was increased during the Spanish-American War, but was never used, and by the start of World War I the fort and its guns had lost their relevance, so in 1921 it was officially abandoned and stripped of its armament.





The small geometric island sat abandoned for decades, only briefly used as a firing range during World War II. Finally, in 1958, the fort was purchased by a Baltimore lawyer who did nothing with it. Over the years, the fort became increasingly overgrown, a small forest grew in its place, and the concrete structure gradually cracked and collapsed.



With its young growth and lack of human habitation, save for intrepid urban explorers, Fort Carroll has become a home for seagulls and other birds. Today, the island remains unused by humans, which locals consider a blessing in disguise given the limited space.





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