Fort McClary facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fort McClary
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The renovated blockhouse of Fort McClary dating from 1844, which now serves as a museum
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Off ME 103 at Fort McClary State Historic Site |
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| Nearest city | Kittery Point, Maine |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000025 |
| Added to NRHP | October 1, 1969 |
Fort McClary is an old military fort located on the coast of Kittery Point, Maine. It sits right at the mouth of the Piscataqua River. For many years in the 1800s, this fort helped protect the important harbor of Portsmouth, New Hampshire and the nearby Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Today, Fort McClary is a fun place to visit. It's known as the Fort McClary State Historic Site and has a cool old building called a blockhouse that was built in 1844.
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Fort McClary's History
Fort McClary has a long and interesting history. It was used for defense for over 200 years.
Early Defenses: Colonial Times
People started building defenses here way back in the late 1600s. A shipbuilder named William Pepperell owned the land. He put up some simple defenses in 1689. Before this, a fort in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, protected the area.
In 1715, the government of Massachusetts (which Maine was part of then) decided to build a stronger defense. They wanted a permanent wall with six cannons. This was to protect the Piscataqua River. It also helped collect taxes from people in Massachusetts.
During the American Revolution in 1775, the Pepperrell family stayed loyal to Britain. So, American Patriot forces took over their property, including the fort. By 1776, the fort had cannons and was guarded by the New Hampshire militia.
Building the Fort: The 1800s
Fort McClary was officially started in 1808. This was part of a plan to build many forts along the US coast. It was named after Major Andrew McClary. He was an American officer who died in the 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill.
The fort had a lower area with 9 or 10 cannons. It also had a special furnace to heat cannonballs. There was an upper area too, but we don't know much about its guns. The fort was used during the War of 1812, but it never saw any fighting.
Civil War Changes: 1840s to 1860s
The fort was made even bigger in the 1840s. This was because of some disagreements with Great Britain about the border between Maine and Canada. The famous blockhouse was built in 1844. This was one of the last blockhouses ever built at a US coastal fort.
Fort McClary was very active during the American Civil War. Many of its current buildings were built then, though the fort was never fully finished. Soldiers from the Maine Coast Guard and the Kittery Artillery company guarded the fort.
A very famous person served at Fort McClary during the Civil War: Vice President Hannibal Hamlin. He joined the Maine State Guard as a private and even worked as a cook at the fort!
The fort didn't see much fighting during the Civil War. A big plan to rebuild and expand it started in 1863. The idea was to make a huge, five-sided fort with many cannons. However, only the walls facing the sea were finished. They also built one land-facing cannon area with a granite storage room for ammunition.
People soon realized that stone forts were not strong enough against new, powerful cannons. So, in 1867, money for these types of forts was stopped. This left Fort McClary with only a few places for cannons. You can still see many large granite blocks at the fort today. These were meant for the unfinished parts.
From Fort to Historic Site: Modern Times
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In the 1870s, the lower part of the fort was rebuilt. It had three temporary spots for large cannons. But again, funding was cut. In the 1890s, many large cannons were stored at the fort. Three of these were set up quickly during the Spanish–American War in 1898.
By 1901, newer forts like Fort Foster (Kittery, Maine) and Fort Constitution were built. These new forts made Fort McClary less important. By the 1910s, much of Fort McClary was falling apart. It was officially closed in 1918.
The State of Maine bought most of the property in 1924. After that, it was managed as a park. Some old buildings were torn down over the years. Parts of the fort were even used by civilian defense groups during World War II.
In 1969, Fort McClary was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The blockhouse and other buildings were fixed up in 1987. Today, the blockhouse is a museum where you can learn all about the fort's history.
