In the 1880s Imperial China (Qing dynasty) and France fought a war over an area that is today Vietnam.

The Sino-French War (1884–1885) at Tamsui proved to the Qing government that their coastline defense wasn't as secure as it needed to be.

Governor Liu planned to build forts at every major estuary in order to facilitate defense.

In particular, he employed a German expert Lieut Max E. Hecht to help set up ten new forts at the estuaries of Penghu, Keelung, Hobe (Tamsui), Anping and Cihou (Cijin).

It was not until 1985 that Hobe Fort was designated by the Ministry of the Interior, Executive Yuan, as a National Level 2 Ancient Monument.

The barracks that once stood in the Central Square during the Qing dynasty are gone, as are the guns, but the outer walls, vaults and gate are close to their original conditions.

The trench surrounding the Fort separates the sub-wall from the earthen wall, similar to the role of the moat.

The gate still bears the four original Chinese words 北門鎖鑰 (Běimén Suǒyuè), meaning "The Key to the North Gate", in regular script on the lintel over the door inscribed by Liu Mingchuan, who was governor at the time of the fort's construction.

After it collapsed during the Japanese colonial period, this open space was converted to a field of military training.