From the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form:
Fort Travis is the most complete concentration of coastal artillery batteries on the Texas Gulf Coast. It is located on the southern tip of the Bolivar Peninsula and contains four principal batteries and the remains of seven concrete foundations, two concrete water tanks, and a caretakers house. The historic resources of Fort Travis were constructed between the years of 1898 and 1943. In its original state. Fort Travis was comprised of coastal batteries, magazine bunkers, anti aircraft gun emplacements, enlisted men's barracks, officer quarters, and other ancillary structures. Today, the only mission-critical historic properties standing are the four main batteries, a forward observation post, and an anti-aircraft gun emplacement.
These batteries represent three distinctive historical periods within the military history of coastal fortifications: batteries Ernst and Davis were built during the Endicott period (1885-1910); Battery Kimble was constructed during the Post - World War I period (1918-1936); and Battery 236 was constructed during the World War II era (1937-1945). The construction and placement of the batteries represent different military strategies and technologies followed at the time of construction, and each reflects distinctive technologies and military tactics in the history of coastal artilleries. Evaluated within the context of the history of coastal artillery fortifications, military tactics. Fort Travis is nominated under Criteria A and C in the areas of Military and Engineering. As the only property of its type on the Texas Gulf Coast, and as a facility that contributed to the security of Texas during its period of significance, the property is nominated at the state level of significance.
Battery Davis
Battery Davis (1898) was built on wooden pilings driven in sand. When construction was completed Battery Davis was a 27.8 feet high reinforced concrete and steel beam structure. Three magazine chambers are located on the ground floor. The armament of Battery Davis was composed of two 8-inch guns of the "disappearing" type. These guns could be elevated giving them a greater range than older guns of the day. The battery had a gallery that lead to the gun emplacements, which collapsed several years ago.
The first level of the gallery is composed of the principal stations to support guns. At the northwest corner stands a small one-level square structure that is part of the battery, but with a separate roof, measuring approximately 20x20 feet. It has one doorway facing west and two windows facing north. The roof of this structure makes it distinguishable because it is not completely flat, but it rises and stretches from the battery. Plans of this battery drawn in 1939 a small semi-circular concrete medallion (no longer extant) at the center of the roof.
On the first level and inside the battery are three chambers, accessed through a corridor that runs the length of the battery. Seven doorways lead into this corridor, but none of the original doors remain. This corridor also leads to two inner staircases that lead to the two separate gun emplacements. These inner staircases were used to bring ammunition to the guns. Two of the chambers are identical in size, approximately 9x14 feet. The middle chamber measures 20x14 feet. The gun emplacements are located at both ends of the battery. The northeast gun emplacement faces the Gulf Coast. The southwest gun emplacement faces the entrance to Galveston Bay. The 8-inch guns were removed when the Fort was decommissioned.
The structural integrity of Battery Davis is fair, although this battery is in a state of considerable deterioration. Records appear to indicate that by 1921 the battery was no longer in use. No doors remain, and the concrete shows many stress fractures and cracks. Part of the gallery collapsed several years ago, thus making the battery to dangerous for visitors to enter. No restoration or stabilization of this battery has been conducted due to the lack of funding. Although in a condition of disrepair, the battery still retains significant aspects of its integrity.
The sign in front of Battery Davis adds this information:
Battery Thomas Davis
"Construction of this battery began on April 8, 1898 and was completed on October 5, 1899. It was named for a Second Lieutenant Thomas Davis of the United States Mounted Rifles, who was killed in the Mexican War (1847). It contained two 8-inch breech loading guns of the “disappearing” type. Disappearing guns were arranged so that they stayed below the parapet of the battery for concealment and ease of loading. When it was desired to fire the weapon, it was raised into its cantilever mount above the parapet. When the gun was fired the recoil pushed it back into the pit which protected the gun crews. Ammunition magazines, crew quarters and fire control rooms were located under the battery. These guns were the most advanced of their day. They could be elevated higher than the comparable naval weapons, thus outraging them. The structure is reinforced concrete which was originally built on a series of wooden pilings in the sand. The seawall was not built around it until 1903.”
Contributing Structures include:
Battery Davis Structure 1898 (alt. 1903)
Battery Emst Structure 1898 (alt. 1903)
Battery Kimble Structure 1921
Battery #236 Structure 1943
Forward Observation Station Structure 1942
Anti-Aircraft Emplacement Structure c.1918
Keeper's House Building 1940
Old Highway 87 (brick road) Structure c. 1920
Water tank 1 Structure c.1940
Water tank 2 Structure c.1940
12 building foundations 12 Structures c. 1940
Non-Contributing Structures (all from 1975)
Storage Shed
Parks Office (mobile home)
Cabana Building
Bathrooms