Fort Gorges is an island fort off the coast of Portland & South Portland called Hog Island Ledge. After the War of 1812, the Army corp of engineers felt it necessary to build a fort on the island to protect Casco Bay. At the end of the civil war in 1865, the fort was completed, but by that point the advancment of explosives made the fort obsolete. In 1869 modernization was planned and the fort was revamped, until 1875 when funding was cut, without the 3 story complete. Insted of getting more funding the Army covered the second story with sand and loam to protect ammunition. The last military use of the fort was
in World War II as a submarine mine storage facility. The fort was handed over to the city of Portland in 1960, the same year it was put on the National Regisiter Of Historic Places
Atmosphere:
The fort is open to the public year round, although only accessable by personal boat and during certain tides. Because of this, the place is generally very empty because many Mainers have either already been to the site, or do not understand its historical importance to the city and to the war effort. Plus many tourists do not have access to boats in which they may take a joy ride to fort Gorges
(Pictures: Top Left; Fort Gorges as seen from Bug Light park [Nick Leo], Middle; Fort Gorges and Fort Scrammel [Seth Eastman painting, Internet Photo] Bottom; An aerial veiw of Fort Gorges [Internet Photo])
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