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→Reuse
Nearly everything that remained of Fort McRee was leveled by the [[1906 hurricane]].
==ReuseAbandonment, reuse, and decay==With the completion of the [[Wikipedia:Endicott Board|Endicott Board]] and the subsequent renewed interest in strengthening the coastal defenses of the US, activity returned to Fort McRee. In [[1898]] a battery of two 8-inch rifled guns were constructed just west of the fort, named Battery Slemmer in honor of [[Adam J. Slemmer]]. In [[1899]] a battery of rapid fire guns were installed in another battery named Battery Center after Lieutenant J. P. Center, an officer killed at the [[Wikipedia:Battle of Lake Okeechobee|Battle of Lake Okeechobee]].<ref name="coleman"/> Manning of Battery Slemmer and Center were by members of the [[US Coast Guard]]. Manning fluctuated between 50 and 100 personnel who were rotated from Fort Barrancas.<ref name="coleman"/> A hurricane that struck on 26-27 September 1906 destroyed most of the newer structures that had been erected since 1898. After the hurricane, only a minimal caretaker staff remained to ensure the security of the site. With America's entry into World War I in 1917, the guns of Battery Slemmer were removed and sent to Europe for mounting on railway cars. In 1920, the guns of Battery Center were declared surplus and removed as well. With the removal of these guns, Fort McRee once again fell into disuse.<ref name="coleman"/>
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