Did You Know: Fort Ward

Dive into the Did You Know: Bainbridge Island a series to learn about the rich history behind our neighborhood, historic location, and event that shaped our island.

To kick-off, we are starting at the southern end of the island with Fort Ward!

Fort Ward was established in 1890 by the US Army Coastal Artillery Corps to defend the Puget Sound from any enemy warships. Like many of the forts established at the time around Puget Sound, the fort never fired in defense, and in the 1920s, all guns were removed as the fort transitioned to inactive, leaving it essentially abandoned. For a few years, the state used the fort for summer camps, bringing children from the Seattle area to explore and enjoy. Later, the US Navy settled back into the fort and established a top-secret military listening post to intercept transitions from the far east. The fort was again decommissioned in the late 1950s and purchased by the Washington State Parks department in 1960.

Today, Fort Ward is one of the largest neighborhoods on the island, made up of various homes, including a few that were initially a part of the Military Fort, such as the Morse Code School, which sold last summer for $1,000,000. The fort is still explored and enjoyed by both tourists and residence as a Washington State Park.

The neighborhood also boasts undeveloped land, single-family homes, and beachfront estates. One of my favorite parts of this area is the open green spaces. Nearby you will find Pleasant Beach Drive, which offers some of the most stunning waterfront homes Bainbridge Island has to offer.

Interested in making the south end of the island your home? Browse available listings here.