Fort Edgecomb

Fort Edgecomb
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Fort Edgecomb in 1905
Location	On Davis Island in the Sheepscot River, Edgecomb, Maine
Coordinates	43°59′37″N 69°39′26″W / 43.99361°N 69.65722°W / 43.99361; -69.65722Coordinates: 43°59′37″N 69°39′26″W / 43.99361°N 69.65722°W / 43.99361; -69.65722
Built	1808
Architectural style	Octagon Mode
Governing body	State
NRHP Reference #	69000020[1]
Added to NRHP	October 01, 1969

Fort Edgecomb, built in 1808-1809, is a two-story octagonal wooden blockhouse and restored fortifications located on Davis Island in the town of Edgecomb, Lincoln County, Maine, United States. It is also known as Fort Edgecomb State Historic Site. On October 1, 1969, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places and on December 22, 1991, its boundaries were increased to create an historic district.^[1]

History

The fort was built as part of the U.S. second system of fortifications, guarding the then-important port of Wiscasset, not only for its defense, but also to prevent ships from breaking the embargo. Thomas Jefferson's Embargo was not popular with American merchants, and it is said that the only time Fort Edgecomb's cannon were fired was in salute at James Madison's inauguration (or, less tactfully, to celebrate his lifting of the Embargo).

Fort Edgecomb in 2003

During the War of 1812, this post saw considerable activity holding British prisoners of war, many of them brought to Wiscasset harbor by American privateersmen. In 1814, Fort Edgecomb became an important base in defending against a possible British attack on mid-coast Maine. It remained manned until 1818, and was reactivated during the Civil War.

The Friends of Fort Edgecomb celebrated the bicentennial of the Fort June 13, 2009, on the grounds of the fort.

References

Smith, Joshua M. Blockhouse & Battery: A History of Fort Edgecomb (Edgecomb, ME: Friends of Fort Edgecomb, 2009)

Smith, Joshua M. Borderland Smuggling (University Press of Florida, 2006)

Smith, Joshua M. "Maine's Embargo Forts," Maine History, Vol. 44, No. 2 (April 2009), 143-154.

External links

• Edgecomb Historical Society / Friends of Fort Edgecomb official site
• Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands page

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