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History Matters: March toward Fort Miles museum continues

via Fort Miles Historical Association

In this month’s History Matters – produced in collaboration with the Delaware Historical Society – we check in on work being done at Cape Henlopen State Park to turn Fort Miles into a museum telling its unique World War II era story.

Fort Miles was a key part of the country’s coastal defense of the Delaware River during the Second World War, but by the late 50’s its usefulness had passed and in 1964 - 543 acres of the base were given to the State of Delaware, becoming part of Cape Henlopen State Park. In April 2005, Fort Miles was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

In recent years, the Fort Miles Historical Association has worked to create a museum on the site, including procuring a 16 inch gun that was on the USS Missouri the day the Japanese surrendered to end World War II in 1945.  Saturday, a groundbreaking was held for the artillery park that will display that gun and others.   

Earlier this week, we caught up with Fort Miles Historical Association president Gary Wray for an update on their efforts.

Tom Byrne has been a fixture covering news in Delaware for three decades. He joined Delaware Public Media in 2010 as our first news director and has guided the news team ever since. When he's not covering the news, he can be found reading history or pursuing his love of all things athletic.