Wide Angle Wednesday

Fort Totten

Canon 60D, Tokina Pro DX-II 11-16mm f/2.8, f/10, 1/125s, 100ISO, 11mm

I had taken a random Tuesday off of work, as I had worked long hours that weekend. It also happened to be the day family friends were passing through on their way from Long Island to upstate. Their travels would have them going by on the highway about half a mile from where I live. As they live in Santa Clarita, California, I don't see them very often. I have known them since before I can remember, I was at their wedding when I was two years old, a little younger than my daughter is now. My wife had recitals fast approaching, and needed to work on her choreography, so I decided to take the toddler with me out of the house and meet the California constituents at a local Bayside gem, Fort Totten.

Plans were made, and a little before lunchtime, we met at a parking lot under the approach ramp to the Throg's Neck Bridge. The Long Island native grew up taking this bridge anytime her family needed an escape north, so it was fun to show her the area around the bridge that she had never seen. I took them through Little Bay Park into Fort Totten. Unfortunately, the battery was closed, but we were able to see some of the historic buildings, and my daughter was able to expend some energy on the playground.

The Castle, home of the Bayside Historical Society
Canon 60D, Tokina Pro DX-II 11-16mm f/2.8, f/16, 1/125s, 400ISO, 11mm

The Castle is the former Officer's Club, and now houses the Bayside Historical Society. It was built in 1870s in the Late Gothic Revival style, with an expansion in 1887, placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Totten_Officers'_Club

Commanding Officer's House, now Parks & Recreation Northeast Queens Headquarters
Canon 60D, Tokina Pro DX-II 11-16mm f/2.8, f/16, 1/320s, 400ISO, 16mm

Commanding Officer's House, now Parks & Recreation Northeast Queens Headquarters
Canon 60D, Tokina Pro DX-II 11-16mm f/2.8, f/16, 1/320s, 400ISO, 11mm

The Fort was purchased in 1857, with construction starting in 1862, and remained in operation in some form until 1974. It is now owned by the City of New York, though the US Army Reserve still maintains a presence on the property. Other agencies located in Fort Totten include the Coast Guard, NYPD, Parks Department, and the FDNY. Most of the older buildings house these organizations, so though there is a large area of parkland, much of the Fort is still off limits for civilians.

FDNY Counseling Unit
Canon 60D, Tokina Pro DX-II 11-16mm f/2.8, f/8, 1/125s, 100ISO, 11mm

I highly recommend a visit to Fort Totten. The battery is open on the weekends, though I would check the Parks Department Website to make sure.