Former Sandy Hook Proving Ground Proof Battery

 military, place with historical importance, artillery

Formally established on August 7, 1874 by authority of the Secretary of War, the Sandy Hook Proving Ground began full operations in 1876 on what was Federally-owned land that met most of the requirements for a experimental testing area for heavy ordnance.

Testing several hundred varieties of both US Army, Naval and Coastal artillery onsite, the Sandy Hook Proving Ground fell victim to the rapidly increasing range of the weaponry tested there, which soon exceeded the safe firing distances provided by Sandy Hook itself. As the US Army began purchasing land in Aberdeen Maryland in 1917 the amount of testing at the Proof Battery began to trail off until all weapons testing carried out at the Sandy Hook Proving Ground ceased in 1920. Shortly thereafter, all of the support buildings for the proving ground were removed, leaving the pedestals and gun mount bases visible for visitors today.


www.nps.gov/gate/historyculture/shpg.htm