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This Fort Phoenix seacoast cannon appears to be shooting out the moon from it's heavy iron barrel. Shortly before the War of 1812, Fort Phoenix was enlarged under the supervision of Sylvanua Thayer, who later became the "Father of the Military Academy" at West Point. In June of 1814, the fort helped repel an early morning attack by British in landing boats from the HMS Nimrod. Fort Phoenix was manned throughout the Civil War by troops who rotated duty between the Fairhaven fort and the newer Fort Taber in New Bedford. Eight 24-pound cannon were installed at the beginning of the war, five of which remain at the fort today. Fort Phoenix went out of service in 1876. In 1926, it was purchased for the town by Lady Fairhaven, Mrs. Urban H. Broughton of England, a daughter of the town's benefactor Henry Huttleston Rogers. Since then it has been maintained by the town as a public park. In 1973, Fort Phoenix was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Go to MY HOMETOWN in the above menu bar for more info.