1903. World War I and abandonment After World War I broke out, in 1917 the Army removed the guns from Battery Heart and in 1918 those from Battery Towson to use elsewhere. By 1920, all guns had been removed from the fort. In March 1921 the Army officially abandoned Fort Carroll and moved whatever military equipment was left to nearby Fort Howard. The War Department declared the island excess property in 1923, but took no immediate steps to sell the land. A variety of proposals for the use of the island were advanced, including a prison, as well as a 1923 plan advanced by Baltimore mayor William Broening to place an electric "Welcome to Baltimore" sign on the island, accompanied by a statue of Lord Baltimore. In World War II the Army used the fort as a firing range. It also served as a checkpoint for vessels. In May 1958, Baltimore attorney Benjamin Eisenberg purchased the island for , intending to put a casino there, but development plans never materialized. The fort is now deserted and the habitat for various animals. It is also a site for occasional urban explorations. In 2013, Preservation Maryland placed Fort Carroll on its list of threatened historic properties. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. References Notes Further reading External links A visit to Fort Carroll Fort Carroll seen from the Key Bridge Artificial islands of the United States Infrastructure completed in 1848 Unused buildings in Maryland Buildings and structures in Baltimore County, Maryland River islands of Maryland Carroll Landforms of Baltimore County, Maryland Carroll Carroll Robert E. Lee National Register of Historic Places in Baltimore County, Maryland American Civil War on the National Register of Historic Places