"But Påle'!," you say, "that's Fort Apugan!"
Well the fort is in Apugan, the name of a certain section of the modern village of Agaña Heights.
But when this small fort was built in 1800, it was named Fort Santa Águeda. Águeda is Spanish for Agatha, whose feast day happens to be today.
That's better!
A BUILDING FRENZY IN 1800
Fort Santa Águeda was just one of several public structures built by just one man, Spanish Governor Manuel Muro. Spain was at war with the British at the time and wanted to beef up defenses on Guam.
Muro built Fort Santa Cruz in Apra Harbor; another fort in downtown Hagåtña and even the San Antonio Bridge where Sirena now lives. He also built the original structure whose three arches alone remain today at the Palace next to the Plaza de España.
So much of Guam's Spanish landmarks are all due to this one man.
He named this fort in Apugan after his wife, Maria Águeda del Camino, who was sickly and who, in fact, died shortly thereafter. The fort was meant to defend Hagåtña Bay.
The British never came; the fort fell into disrepair. It was used here and there by the Americans and even the Japanese. It is still being used by the Japanese, but, this time, Japanese tourists.
If you look hard enough, you can recognize Japanese writing which can be found on a corner of Fort Apugan. Remnants of World War II. I don't think the Japanese tourists wrote it. : )
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