There’s plenty to do on the land of Fort Stevens State Park – several thousand acres of trails, woodland, beach and water. But there’s also something underground worth exploring, and some local history to brush up on. The Underground Battery Mishler Guided Tours run daily and offer visitors a glimpse into the world of late 1800’s Oregon.
Battery Mishler was built in the 1890s to protect the mouth of the Columbia River as part of Oregon’s harbor defense system. It was the only underground battery of the set, and was composed of two 10-foot guns mounted on disappearing carriages that were open to the sky. It took a team of 35 men to work together to fire just one gun.
Today tours take visitors through the hallways of the battery, where they can see the gun pit and learn from a guide about the location’s history. The tour is free, but a $5 daily parking permit or annual Oregon Parks Pass is required.
Click the Learn More button for details on the Oregon Parks' site, or the following link for the excellent Friends of Old Fort Stevens site: www.visitftstevens.com.
There is also an interactive "History Quest"/game that you can access on the Friends' site: www.visitftstevens.com/activities/