Galilee Salt Marsh

History

Do you know there is a World War II gun battery nearby?

During World War II (1939-1945) a gun battery (Battery 109) was built in the upland region of the marsh. It was built to help protect the entrance to Narragansett Bay. A gun emplacement was constructed to hold two large guns, the barrel of the rifled guns measured 16” in diameter. The guns could reach a target up to 25 miles away. Farm buildings, including a silo were built to serve as a command post.

In 1943, as the end of the war seemed near, the War Department stopped work on Battery 109 before it was completed. Today Battery 109, also known as the West Reservation is part of the Fishermen’s Memorial Campground. This seasonal campground, run by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management is a popular spot for campers.