Fort Edgecomb facts for kids
|
Fort Edgecomb
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | On Davis Island in the Sheepscot River, Edgecomb, Maine |
|---|---|
| Area | 3.1 acres (1.3 ha) (original) less than one acre (1991 increase) |
| Built | 1808 |
| Architectural style | Octagon Mode |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000020 (original) 91001814 (increase) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | October 1, 1969 |
| Boundary increase | December 22, 1991 |
Fort Edgecomb is an old fort built between 1808 and 1809. It's located on Davis Island in the town of Edgecomb, Maine. The main part of the fort is a two-story wooden building shaped like an octagon, which means it has eight sides.
Today, Fort Edgecomb is a special place called the Fort Edgecomb State Historic Site. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969, which means it's an important historical site in the United States.
Contents
What is Fort Edgecomb Like?
Fort Edgecomb sits on Davis Island, which is almost an island. It's connected to the mainland by a small strip of land. The fort is at the very end of the island, looking out over the Sheepscot River.
The Eight-Sided Blockhouse
The most famous part of the fort is its eight-sided wooden building, called a blockhouse. The second floor of this building is a bit bigger than the first floor. The first floor is about 27 feet (8.2 meters) wide, and the second floor is about 30 feet (9.1 meters) wide.
The walls on the ground floor have small openings. These were for soldiers to fire their muskets. The upper floor has bigger openings, like portholes, where they could fire cannons.
Defending the River
Even though the blockhouse is easy to see, the fort's main job was to protect the river. It had a special area with five large cannons. These cannons were set up in different sections, ready to fire. The blockhouse also had two smaller cannons called carronades.
History of Fort Edgecomb
Fort Edgecomb was built to protect the important port of Wiscasset. Back then, Wiscasset was a big center for building ships in New England.
Why Was the Fort Built?
The fort was built because the United States was worried about a war with the British. This was during the time of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe. The U.S. wanted to stay neutral, but its trade with France caused problems.
President Thomas Jefferson tried to stop trade with other countries. This was done with the Embargo Act of 1807. Forts like Edgecomb were built to help enforce this rule.
Early Days and the Embargo
An army engineer named Moses Porter oversaw the building of the fort. He later became a commander in the army. The fort's first job was to make sure no ships traded illegally.
People in Maine didn't like the embargo because it hurt their businesses. It's said that the fort's cannons were fired only twice. One time was to celebrate James Madison becoming president in 1809. This also meant the embargo was ending.
The War of 1812
Eventually, the War of 1812 started between the U.S. and Britain. Fort Edgecomb became very busy during this war. It held British prisoners of war. American ships, called privateers, brought these prisoners to Wiscasset.
In 1814, the fort was an important base. It helped protect the coast of Maine from possible British attacks. The fort stayed active until 1818. It was used again later during the Civil War.
Celebrating the Fort
On June 13, 2009, people celebrated the fort's 200th birthday. This event was held right at the fort!
