The district includes Rose Island Light and an early U.S. military fortification designed in part by Major Louis de Tousard.

The Secretary of War's report on fortifications for December 1811 describes Fort Hamilton as "a regular unfinished work of masonry of four bastions, two of which are circular.

[3] In the 19th century Fort Hamilton was used as a quarantine station for the port of Newport, and the island served as a popular picnic destination.

Naval Torpedo Station, and during World War I and World War II the fort was used for munitions storage by the U.S. Navy as it conducted torpedo tests, also using facilities on nearby Goat Island and Gould Island.

This article about a Registered Historic Place in Newport County, Rhode Island is a stub.