National Historic Landmark

Fort Western

Augusta, Kennebec County, Maine
Listed
December 1, 1969
Type
Building
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
69000009

About this property

Fort Western is a former British colonial outpost at the head of navigation on the Kennebec River at modern Augusta, Maine, United States. It was built in 1754 during the French and Indian War, and is now a National Historic Landmark and local historic site owned by the city. It is the oldest surviving wooden fort in America, which still stands today. Its main building, the only original element of the fort to survive, was restored in 1920 by William H Gannett and Guy P Gannett and now depicts its original use as a trading post. The Gannett's then gifted the building back to the City of Augusta, and it opened as a museum on July 4th, 1922.

Location

Augusta, Kennebec County, Maine
44.31599, -69.77146

Categories

COMMERCEMILITARY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Fort Western

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Augusta City Hall, Former
Industrial
0.1 mi
Libby-Hill Block
Industrial
0.1 mi
Sturgis and Haskell Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Noble Block
Civil War
0.1 mi
Kresge Building
Industrial
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Fort Western listed on the National Register?

Fort Western was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 1, 1969.

What type of historic resource is Fort Western?

Fort Western is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Fort Western a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Fort Western has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Fort Western?

The period of significance for Fort Western is recorded as the early_republic era.

Can I research the history near Fort Western?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Fort Western will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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