Fort Totten Park

Fort Totten Park is a 60.39-acre park on a peninsula jutting into the East River in the Bayside section of northeastern Queens. The park occupies a former military installation that guarded the approaches to New York Harbor from its strategic position at the narrows of the East River.

The fort was established in 1857 and named for Brigadier General Joseph Gilbert Totten, the chief engineer of the U.S. Army who designed many of the coastal fortifications that protected American harbors during the 19th century. The fort served as a military installation through World War II and as an Army Reserve facility until it was transferred to the city in 2005.

The park's historic military structures include a stone castle-like fortification, officers' quarters, barracks buildings, and defensive batteries that document the evolution of American coastal defense from the Civil War through the 20th century. Many of the buildings have been adapted for community use, housing the Bayside Historical Society and other organizations.

Fort Totten Park offers some of the most spectacular waterfront scenery in Queens, with views across the East River to the Bronx, the Whitestone Bridge, and the open waters of Long Island Sound. The park's swimming pool, athletic fields, walking trails, and waterfront promenade serve the residential communities of Bayside and Bay Terrace.

Fort Totten Park transitions seamlessly from military history to waterfront recreation, providing a park experience that combines strategic vistas, preserved architecture, and the natural beauty of one of the most scenic peninsulas in the city.