Fort Western facts for kids
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Fort Western
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Fort Western in 1936
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Bowman Street, Augusta, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1754 |
| Architect | Gershom Flagg |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000009 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 2, 1969 |
| Designated NHL | November 7, 1973 |
Fort Western is an old British fort located in Augusta, Maine, right by the Kennebec River. It was built way back in 1754 during a big war called the French and Indian War. Today, it's a special historic place, owned by the city, and is even a National Historic Landmark. The main building, which is the only part of the original fort still standing, was fixed up in 1920. Now, it looks just like it did when it was a busy trading post long ago.
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Fort Western During the French and Indian War
Fort Western was built in 1754 by a company from Boston. They wanted it to be a strong trading post. It also helped encourage people to move to the area. The fort had tall log walls called a palisade. It also had strong wooden buildings called blockhouses. These protected a store and a warehouse inside. Even though it was built during a war, the fort was never directly attacked.
From its high spot, the fort could watch over the river for more than a mile. It had blockhouses that were about 24 feet square. There were also smaller watch-boxes that were 12 feet square. These guarded the corners. Inside, the main house was about 100 feet long and 32 feet wide. After the war ended, the fort's last commander, James Howard, bought it. He continued to run the trading post.
Fort Western and the American Revolution
After 1769, Fort Western started to fall apart. But in 1775, something important happened there. A famous American general named Benedict Arnold stopped at Fort Western. He was leading a group of soldiers on a tough journey to Quebec, Canada. They needed to fix their small boats, called bateaux, before continuing.
Arnold, along with other leaders like Daniel Morgan and Aaron Burr, stayed as guests in the fort's main building. Their soldiers camped outside. Fort Western was the starting point for their very difficult march through the wilderness to Quebec.
Fort Western Today: A Living Museum
Over time, the main building of Fort Western was no longer owned by the Howard family. It was even turned into a house with many apartments. But in 1919, some of James Howard's family members bought it back. They restored it the next year, in 1920. This restoration included building two new blockhouses and a new log wall (stockade). The stockade was rebuilt again in 1960.
Today, the main building of Fort Western is a great example of an 18th-century trading post. It hasn't changed much from how it looked back then. The fort and its store are now a museum. You can visit it during the summer months to learn about its history.
The fort was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. It was then named a National Historic Landmark in 1973. This means it's a very important historical site in the United States.
Images for kids
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Fort Western in 1936
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Fort Western, Maine
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Historical marker noting that Benedict Arnold left Fort Western in 1775 for Quebec.
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Fort Western in Augusta, Maine
