Fort Church was built as part of a general modernization of US coast defenses that began in 1940 with the outbreak of war in Europe and the Fall of France.

The fort was named for Colonel Benjamin Church (1639–1718), considered a forerunner of the United States Army Rangers and buried in Little Compton.

[1] The goal was to replace all previous heavy weapons, many of which were over 35 years old, with long-range 16"/50 caliber Mark 2 guns.

Ammunition magazines and the 16-inch guns would be in casemated bunkers to protect against air attack.

In 1948, with the war over, Fort Church's guns were scrapped along with almost all other US coast artillery weapons.