Battery Irwin at Fort Monroe National Monument

FORT MONROE WALKING TOUR

STOP 9: BATTERY PARROT AND BATTERY IRWIN

Like Battery Gatewood, Batteries Parrott and Irwin were constructed in the 1890s during the Endicott era. They are the only batteries outside the walls of Fort Monroe that are somewhat open to tourists. You can’t go inside, but you can climb up to the top and see the guns that remain on display.

The battery on the right is Irwin. The two guns on display are 3-inch guns that were installed in 1946 to be used for saluting only (as in a 21-gun salute).

3-inch guns remain installed at Battery Irwin, Fort Monroe National Monument

You can climb down the steps of Irwin and continue over to Parrot, but it is closed and you can’t get to the top and see the 90mm gun on display…unless you do as I did and walk from the guns at Irwin along a grass path. However, beware of the spike briers.

Parrot originally held two 12-inch disappearing guns until 1943. These were replaced with 90mm anti-torpedo boat guns, both of which were removed in 1949. The 90mm anti-aircraft gun on display was installed in 1976. For what, I don’t know since coastal forts were obsolete by the end of World War II and anti-aircraft guns were obsolete once the jet age came around.

Grass path leads to the top of Battery Parrot, Fort Monroe National Monument

Battery Parrot, Fort Monroe National Monument

Continue down the road to the next stop.

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