Fort Gorges

Fort Gorges (1858-1946) - Established in 1858 as a late Third System granite fort on Hog Island, Cumberland County, Maine. Named after Sir Ferninando Gorges, a colonial proprietor of Maine. Declared surplus in 1946. Fort Gorges Aerial View from the North Fort Gorges Parade Ground Fort Gorges from Fort Preble Fort Gorges History Part of the Harbor Defense of Portland, Maine. Established to protect the northeast approaches to Portland Harbor, Fort Gorges was not garrisoned but troops from nearby Fort Preble or Fort Scammel could easily man its guns on short notice. Construction on the original fort was begun in 1858 and completed in 1865 with at least 26 guns mounted. A modernization program was begun in 1869 but terminated in 1876 when Congress cut off funding. During the modernization program gun emplacements on the third level were removed, and new emplacements for larger guns were constructed on the east, west and north faces of the fort. The new emplacements were protected from the rear by an embankment of sod-covered sand built on the south face. A total of 34 guns were mounted in the casements on the first and second levels of the fort. Thirty one guns remained mounted up until the Spanish American War but were removed soon after and the fort was in caretaker status until 1916. In the 1930's and 1940's the fort was used a navigation beacon and for storage of rolls of steel cable used for mines and submarine nets. Declared surplus in 1946 and turned over to the City of Portland, Maine in 1960. Current Status Some restoration but in a deteriorated condition and dangerous to visitors. {"selectable":false,"width":"500"} Location: Hog Island, Cumberland County, Portland Harbor, Maine. Maps & Images Lat: 43.66278 Long: -70.22167 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 10' Sources: Lewis, Emanuel Raymond, Seacoast Fortifications of the United States: An Introductory History, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis MD, 7th printing, 1993, ISBN 1-55750-502-0, page 54-55 Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 364 Links: Wikipedia - Fort Gorges North American Forts - Fort Gorges Visited: No Fort Gorges Picture Gallery Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better! Fort Gorges Fort Gorges