Fort Segarra
Museums and attractionsSt. ThomasWater IslandLast verified October 31, 2026
Photo: Gruepig, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Gruepig, CC BY-SA 4.0
Fort Segarra is an unfinished World War II coastal defense complex on the southern part of Water Island, begun after the U.S. government acquired the island in 1944 to guard the entrance to St. Thomas Harbor. It has two large gun emplacements, a machine-gun pillbox and underground rooms, but the war ended before its two 12-inch guns were installed. In August 2026 the Water Island Civic Association reopened the fort after a year of volunteer restoration under an agreement with the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, opening rooms the old hotel had sealed as cisterns and adding solar lighting, guard rails and signs. The fort is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., the observation deck has views all around, and no admission charge is listed. Water Island has no taxis: take the ferry from Crown Bay Marina (cash fares), then walk or rent a golf cart.
Services
- Open daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Underground rooms with solar lighting and interpretive signs
- Gun emplacements, pillbox and observation deck
- Safety brief for visitors posted by the Water Island Civic Association
How we checked
Last verified on October 31, 2026. The business has not reviewed this listing.
Source: Water Island Civic Association, https://www.wica.vi/fort-segarra/ (island acquired in 1944, fort at the southern tip built to protect the harbor entrance, two large gun emplacements, watchtowers and underground bunkers, guns never installed, safety brief for visitors) and https://www.wica.vi/waterisland/ (ferry from Crown Bay to Phillips Landing, about 10 minutes); St. Thomas Source, July 27, 2026, https://stthomassource.com/content/2026/07/27/water-islands-fort-segarra-to-reopen/ (sealed off as a cistern for over 50 years, two 12-inch guns, 12-month renovation with solar lighting and interpretive signs, grant administered by DPNR) and August 6, 2026, https://stthomassource.com/content/2026/08/06/water-island-residents-celebrate-grand-reopening-of-fort-segarra/ (grand reopening; agreement with DPNR signed August 22, 2025; the hotel sealed the underground portion as cisterns; newly opened living quarters, plotting room, ammunition storage and machine-gun pillbox; solar lighting and guard rails; open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; no fee mentioned); USVI Department of Tourism, https://www.visitusvi.com/experience/spend-a-day-exploring-water-island/ (underground bunker, tunnels, gun turrets and observation deck with 360-degree views; ferry from Crown Bay Marina, tickets from the captain in cash; no buses or taxis; golf cart rentals); all accessed 2026-10-31. No agency source opened gives a coordinate for the fort, so no map point is set.
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