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Fort Santo Angel
Fort Santo Angel was the second of four Spanish fortifications built in the southern village of Humåtak/Umatac in the midst of the galleon trade era. The fort was constructed on top of a large rock structure that is situated at the entrance to Humåtak Bay.
Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago was the second of three Spanish forts built to defend the anchorage at Apra Harbor. The fort was constructed at the tip of Orote Peninsula on the southwestern coastline of Guam. Its location, atop a sheer cliffline overlooking the entrance to the harbor, made it a formidable defensive force.
Fort Santa Agueda
Fort Santa Agueda, the only surviving Spanish fort in Hagåtña, sits atop Apugan Hill on the western coast of Guam. The fort, now commonly called Fort Apugan, provides a commanding view of the capital village of Hagåtña, the Philippine Sea, and the sheer northern clifflines of Oka Point and Urunao Point.
Fort San Luis
Fort San Luis was the first of three Spanish fortifications constructed to protect the anchorage at Apra Harbor. The fort was constructed on the northern shoreline of Orote Peninsula near present day Gab Gab Beach.
Matå’pang: Matapang
History will remember Maga’låhi Matå’pang from Tomhom (Tumon) as the man responsible for murdering Father Diego Luís de San Vitores, the Spanish Jesuit priest who brought Christianity to the Mariana Islands. Matå’pang’s significance, however, has changed over the centuries as Chamorro/CHamorus and their understanding of historical events has changed.
Fort San Jose
Fort San Jose, built about 1805, was the third of four Spanish fortifications built in the southern village of Humåtak/Umatac. The fort was constructed atop a hill located on the northern side of Humåtak Bay.
Spanish Forts of Guam Overview
In order to protect Spain’s interests in Guam and its Pacific trade routes, several fortifications were constructed to defend the island. Beginning with the first stockade in Hagåtña in 1671 and ending with the semi-reductos (half-enclosed parapets) in 1835, the Spanish administration built fourteen fortifications of various types and dimensions on Guam.
Wood and Tin Houses
A precursor to the concrete typhoon proof pillbox style of buildings common to contemporary Guam were wood and tin homes. These simple homes were the dominant form of residential housing until the 1960s.
Quonset Huts
A Quonset hut is a lightweight prefabricated structure of corrugated steel having a semicircular cross section. Following the retaking of Guam by the United States during World War II, construction began in earnest to transform the island into a military stronghold capable of striking the Japanese mainland.
Pole and Thatched Homes
Throughout Guam’s history the most common type home was a rectangular pole and thatch structure with a raised floor. Today this type of structure has been replaced for the most part by concrete homes.