Overview

A few different defenses have been built in the location of Fort Monroe since the 1600s, but all have offered safety. The monument has defended American Indians, colonists such as Captain John Smith, freedom seekers during the Civil War and residents of the Chesapeake Bay.

Within Fort Monroe, you will find 170 historic buildings. Notable is the Old Point Comfort Light, the second oldest lighthouse in the bay and the oldest that is still operating. An interesting inclusion is a pet cemetery containing the graves of 400 million pets of military families and war dogs.