Fort Mott was designed after the Civil War as part of a three-fort coastal defense system for the Delaware River. The fortifications seen today were built in the late 1890s with modern guns that could fire seven to eight miles, and the fort guarded the river through the Spanish American War and World War I. Advances in military technology made it obsolete by the end of World War II. Today the riverfront park offers history, walking and picnicking. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day, and hours vary by season.