Fort Columbia - Reliving A Part of World War II

To achieve its mission, the Fort had carbon-arc lights 60-inches in diameter that threw light for several miles. It was illuminated light that depended on an electric arc maintained between two carbon electrodes. The site also had its own power plant.

Step inside the buildings with me for a tour and learn more about how the installation operated back then. Hike down to the power plant built for the installation, or visit the troop's quarters.

First, the Officer's Quarters.

The officer's quarters sport a well-maintained tin ceiling and floors are covered with plank hardwood. As you enter and look right to the sitting room, you view a floor oil lamp (tall lamp to the right) among the furnishings similar to what may have been used then (the historical society that worked on restoring the site has used furnishings as close to the real thing as they can get).

You soon notice this house was top-of-the-line back then with lights, steam heat and indoor plumbing. You'll see a beautiful ceiling fixture in the dining room ahead. Each room is more intriguing.

The volunteers are knowledgeable about the Fort and love spending time talking with you about the quarters. Next door is the Enlisted Men's Barracks, which is now the Interpretive Center.

On to the Enlisted Men's Quarters.

We spent a lot of time viewing exhibits and a video on the installation at the enlisted quarters. The dining room wall features one of three known 45-star United States flags in existence today. It holds a special place over the dining table, which was by no means fancy. The troops sat on stools made strictly for eating; there was generally no dilly-dallying at mealtime. No comfort here. The kitchen (pictured above) is pretty basic.

One exhibit I found interesting was the Lyle Gun. Then, as you know, they didn't have the communications tools we use today. The Lyle gun housed a rolled-up line that was shot out to people or ships in distress. They could either be pulled back in a seat, or a pulley system could be rigged. The particular gun on exhibit was built in 1878 and relined in 1937.

A displayed mine, Number 18, is a larger-than-human reminder of war. Seeing it really brought the war home to me, though I was not yet born. There were clusters of five-feet-deep mines at that time. I thought of that as I looked out over the

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