Fort Totten Park: Civil War history, birdwatching and great views

Drivers on the Cross Island Parkway whizzing past Fort Totten Park on their way to the Throgs Neck Bridge are missing a chance to explore a piece of Civil War history — and take in some great panoramic views.

Visitors can spend hours walking along the several miles of shoreline to enjoy views of the Throgs Neck, Long Island Sound and Little Neck Bay, as well as looking at the distinctive military architecture from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The fort, named for the U.S. Army’s chief engineer, Gen. Joseph Totten, was designed by Capt. Robert E. Lee in 1857 and constructed during the second year of the war, in 1862. But advances in fortification design quickly made it obsolete so it was instead used to care for injured and sick soldiers.

With the return of peace, Fort Totten served various military purposes before becoming part of the Nike Anti-Ballistic Missile Defense System in 1954 and then a U.S. Army Reserve post in 1974.

These days, some of the buildings are occupied by Army Reserve units, the FDNY, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and nonprofit agencies. Others, like an old farmhouse and the hospital, are vacant, deteriorating and fenced-off. The only building open to the public is the visitor center, located in a historic structure near the Civil War-era artillery battery on the shoreline.

But interpretative signs detail the history of the structures and parade ground, and rangers lead tours of the fortress and the wildlife surrounding it.

More than 7,000 to 10,000 people visit the park every year, said Urban Park Ranger Sgt. Woo Sung Park, who has spent many years stationed at the site.

He said the park offers much more than just a history lesson.

“The fort is definitely the highlight,” he said. “Because of the Civil War fort, we get visitors from literally all over the world. But there’s other amenities. There’s a playground. There’s a small New York City public pool that is open just in the summer. There’s a canoe and kayak launch.”

The site is frequented by dog walkers, and birdwatching is popular in the winter when migrating waterfowl rest in the area before heading south.

The park is off the Cross Island Parkway between Totten Avenue and 15th Road. The visitor center is open from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, visit nycgovparks.org/parks/ fort-totten-park.