Fort James Jackson
Also known as: Fort Jackson Maritime Museum; Fort Oglethorpe
Why it's listed
Fort Jackson sits on the marshy south bank of the Savannah River, about three miles east of Savannah. A fortification site since 1792, when a "Mud Fort" was built, it was sold to the United States in 1808 and named for James Jackson, a Revolutionary soldier, Georgia governor and U.S. senator. Fire damaged it in 1833, and rebuilding in the mid-1840s produced the brick fort seen today, with thirty-three-inch walls of Savannah Grey brick, a moat, eighteen casemates and a Gothic Revival sally port. Georgia troops seized it in 1861, and Robert E. Lee inspected it in 1862. Confederate forces withdrew by water in December 1864 as Sherman's army approached. Repairs were attempted in the 1870s, and Congress authorized its sale to Savannah in 1923. After a company deeded it to the state in 1965, the Georgia Historical Commission rehabilitated the casemates and powder magazine as a museum of Georgia maritime history.
Significance in brief: The fort represents about 180 years of military use protecting Savannah, from a 1792 "Mud Fort" through the War of 1812 and Confederate service. Its Savannah Grey brickwork and Gothic Revival sally port are notable architecturally. It was built by the Department of the Army as a smaller counterpart to Fort Pulaski.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 70000200, listed February 18, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Islands Expwy., Savannah |
|---|---|
| County | Chatham County |
| Listed | February 18, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000200 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Designed and constructed by the Department of the Army |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival sally port on an otherwise severely plain brick fort |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated February 16, 2000 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the State of Georgia and operated as a maritime museum; in good condition, with rehabilitation under way. A letter in the file reports river erosion damaging the fort wall. |
| Coordinates | 32.08210, -81.03609 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 70000200.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q1438578
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.