The Army’s Century on Davids Island New Rochelle
Westchester County has a new website on the history of Fort Slocum, AKA Davids Island that is utterly fascinating. Ft Slocum, located off the coast of New Rochelle in Long Island Sound, was an army base from the 1860’s through 1965. It was a place where tens of thousands, including my Grandfather, shipped off to battle in World War One. During most of my lifetime it has been a shell of its former self; abandoned, mysterious and thanks to the old water tower, and aid to navigation.
While the Army has been long gone, a succession of developers eyed it for its residential potential. Most notably Donald Trump tried to build multiple high rises, complete with a massive bridge from the mainland. of course it never happened, thanks to a groundswell of community activism.
Today the Army Corps of Engineers is tearing everything down, which is rather sad as there are properties on the island worth restoring. Budgets are the cause of course, but this time they have done the right thing by undertaking an exhaustive survey of the island with the intent of documenting as much as possible the history, architecture and artifacts that remain. The County website is the result. If you have any interest at all in the Military or the history of New Rochelle, it is a highly recommended read.
You can find it HERE
