Powder Magazine

This powder magazine was constructed in 1863. This was meant for limited access storage of large quantities of gunpowder in 100lb kegs. This would not have stored weapon specific cartridges. Those would have been stored in smaller magazines located around the fort, closer to the guns. This magazine was once lined with Cedar, similar to the powder magazine in Bastion C. That cedar sheathing has since been removed, except for the floor. It had a slate roof that helped collect water for a cistern that was buried on the parade ground. A common misconception about this magazine is the purpose of the granite wall that surrounds it. It is often thought that this was to protect the rest of the fort in the event of an explosion of the magazine for some reason. It was actually designed to allow for limited access to the magazine by the garrison and any potential saboteurs away, and thus limit the chance of an accidental detonation. If this powder magazine had accidentally exploded, the granite wall would have done very little, if anything at all to shield the rest of the fort.