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We had reached the halfway point of our day trip and would soon need to head back to camp in Vermont. Riding down the Maine coast there was an old fort marked on the map that looked interesting, Fort McClary at Kittery Point, so we decided to have a look.
Upon arriving at the fort we discovered that not only was it interesting, but also was pet friendly. They even had a box for people to pay for admission on the honor system which only turned out to be a couple of dollars. We paid our fee and entered the park area.
The site of Fort McClary has been involved in coastal defenses since 1689 when the area was called “Battery Pasture” and was acquired by a local merchant and shipbuilder, William Pepperrell, who erected simple defensive works on the site. The Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1715 decided to erect a permanent six gun breastwork for defense of the Piscataqua River and around `1720 a fort, Fort William, was constructed. A naval officer was stationed at the fort to collect duties from ships coming into the harbor.
In 1775 at the time of the American Revolution local citizens seized the fort from the Pepperrell family who were loyal to the British crown. The fort was manned by the New Hampshire militia until 1779 and then abandoned.
The fort was reestablished in 1808 when the “Second System” was built. The fort was then named Fort McClary after New Hampshire native, Major Andrew McClary, the highest ranking officer killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. The existing blockhouse was added in 1844 and was the last to be built in Maine.
The fort was used during the Civil War, and at that time had many more structures than exist today. The expansion of the fort ended in 1868. The cookhouse, barracks, officer’s quarters and other buildings were in great disrepair by 1910 and the fort was decommissioned in 1918. The dilapidated structures were demolished over the coming decades.
The State of Maine acquired the property in 1924 and made the location a park. The blockhouse and several structures were renovated in 1987.
The site provides a beautiful view of the coast line. Susie enjoyed walking through the park and saying hello to other visitors. The fort proved to be an interesting place to visit and a relaxing place to rest before continuing on the road back to the camp in Marlboro.
Website: http://www.fortmcclary.org/
July 8, 2023
