Fort Wool

Fort Wool, originally called Fort Calhoun, was built between 1818 and 1861 on Rip Raps Island in Hampton Roads to maintain crossfire defense with Fort Monroe. Constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers following the War of 1812, the fort was renamed Fort Wool in 1862 to honor Union General John Wool. During the Civil War, its garrison witnessed the historic Battle of Hampton Roads in March 1862, where the USS Monitor battled the CSS Virginia. The site remains both a state and national historic landmark, preserving an important chapter of American maritime and military defense history.