Guarding the Maine Coastline

Coastal Maine boasts many forts for the defense of America and because I love history, photography and all things old, I enjoyed walking around and through Fort McClary and Fort Foster both located at Kittery Point and both overlook the Piscataqua river.

And then there is the bonus round - LIGHTHOUSES. I adore lighthouses and there are TWO.

Walk with me....

Fort McClary is a picturesque harbor that began its defensive role in the 1600’s originally named Ft. William, after William Pepperell a local hero of Louisbourg and the landowner. Because William was a loyalist, and the American Revolution was gearing up his lands were confiscated and the name was changed to Ft. McClary, after a New Hampshire mayor and the first ranking officer killed at Bunker Hill in 1775.

The blockhouse high upon the hill for good look-out purposes is dated about 1845 and is hexagonal in shape. You can wander through the various rooms, upstairs for the officers and below cannons were mounted.

A 50-man company was stationed there during the civil war, eventually replaced by Battery B 1st New Hampshire Heavy Artillery in 1863. All the buildings were upgraded and modified during different periods, but most was done during the civil war. Ft. McClary was manned during 5 wars: Revolutionary, War of 1812, Civil War, Spanish-American War and WW I. Always ready to defend their coastline, the soldiers here saw no action during any of the wars.

To my surprise there was a Private Hannibal Hamlin that caught my eye because the surname Hamlin runs in my family tree (another love). He served at Fort McClary when his Coast Guard unit was called to active duty even though he was the current US Vice President for Abraham Lincoln. (Researching my line again).

There’s a huge grassy area to picnic and trails to hike in Fort McClary. There are also numerous buildings and hideaways to guard the coast.

Now look out on the harbor and to your right and you will see the Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse, established in 1771 and automated in 1960. It was the first lighthouse established at a military installation and the first lighthouse to be established in the American Colonies north of Boston. This fortification is known as Ft. Constitution.This lighthouse was featured on Ghost Hunters (which I don’t watch - I like Haunted History), however, next time I’ll be taking the tour.

Look straight ahead and you will see the Whaleback Lighthouse. My photos from Ft. McClary make it look like the lighthouse and the lifesaving house were on the same sand bar (although saying island would be too kind-actually its called Wood Island). The lifesaving house first started as a base for the construction project. Interestingly, when you get to Ft. Foster, those structures are pretty far apart.

Whaleback Lighthouse was established in 1831, and automated in 1963. The lightkeepers had living quarters in the lighthouse. The first lighthouse was poorly constructed, leaking badly in heavy seas and storms. So construction on a second lighthouse began in 1870 and was erected close to the first one.

If you look to your left you will see Fort Foster. Yup, they were that close, though you wouldn’t be swimming on over. This was the last fort built in the Portsmouth area about 1873 again like Ft. McClary went unfinished. Fort Foster originally to be named Battery on Gerrish’s Island or Battery Berry after Major General Hiram Berry of Maine, killed in action in Virginia in 1862. Construction began again after the Spanish American War to protect the Naval Shipyard and renamed after Brevet Manager General John Foster of New Hampshire.

Fort Foster has picnic and playground areas, and you are responsible for cleaning up after yourself. When the tide is out, there are many traversing the rocks and shoals. There are numerous benches where you can relax and enjoy the view and a pier that’ll take you out to where the action is. While there, a tug boat pushing a huge tanker ship came through the harbor and all kinds of boats traverse these waters. This fort is a wildlife preserve because of the marshes that feed into the beaches.

I freely admit I took 93084384034 million pictures. It couldn’t be helped.