Fort Kent - Fort Kent ME
Posted by: 
nomadwillie
N 47° 15.152 W 068° 35.694
19T E 530652 N 5233307
Quick Description: Constructed 1838-1840, this is the only extant fortification of the Aroostook "War" (1838-1839), the conflict that climaxed the Northeast border disputes with Great Britain following the War of 1812.
Location: Maine, United States
Date Posted: 9/30/2009 2:22:54 AM
Waymark Code: WM7B93
Views: 1
Long Description:The controversy over the border began with the Treaty of Paris
(1783) and was finally resolved by the Webster-Ashburton Treaty,
signed in Washington in 1842. With the boundary settled, the fort
was abandoned.
The Fort Kent blockhouse is located at the confluence of the
Fish River and the St. John River in Fort Kent, Maine. This
state-owned structure is the only extant fortification relating to
the "Bloodless" Aroostook War of 1838-39, and the border dispute
between Great Britain and the United States. The signing of the
Webster-Ashburton Treaty in 1842 settled the boundary dispute
between Maine and New Brunswick and reduced the need for a fort,
although federal troops remained there until 1845 to protect Maine
as and the United States, interests in the region. In addition to
being listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the
structure is a National Historic Landmark.
The blockhouse is a two-story structure. Its walls are built of
square-hewn cedar logs, some of which measure over 19 inches in
width. Although a few minor changes have been made to the
structure, including some related to its present use as a museum,
it remains a good example of early-19th-century military
architecture. Care and public presentation of this site is
currently provided by local Eagle Scouts, in cooperation with the
Bureau of Parks and Recreation, Maine Department of
Conservation.