Even though Maine sometimes seems frozen in time, it can be tough to grasp just how far back its history goes. European settlements on the now-uninhabited Saint Croix Island in 1604 and in present-day Phippsburg in 1607 were the first of their kind in what later became the United States. It took another hundred years before Old Fort Western was built in Augusta — but today it still stands as the oldest surviving wooden fort in America.

Old Fort Western was built in 1754 by the Kennebec Proprietors, a Boston company looking to solidify British influence in the area and marginalize the local Abenaki Indians, who were allied with the French.
management / TripAdvisor
The fort was strategically positioned at the highest navigable point on the Kennebec River.
radx4 / TripAdvisor
Blockhouses positioned at the corners of the fort protected it from attack.
Terry Ross / Flickr
Though the fort was well-equipped for battle, and several people stationed there were either attacked or captured by hostile forces during the French and Indian War, it was never attacked directly.
Dan S / TripAdvisor

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When the French and Indian War ended, the fort's commanding officer, James Howard, purchased it and operated it as a trading post. Visitors today will find the fort furnished as it was during that period.
Old Fort Western - Augusta, Maine / Facebook
But Old Fort Western's military service wasn't quite done. In 1775 future traitor Benedict Arnold started his expedition to capture Quebec from the fort. Arnold's party, which included future Vice President Aaron Burr, stayed at the fort before marching north.
Billy Hathorn / Wikimedia Commons
Old Fort Western was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973.
Dan S / TripAdvisor
Visitors to Old Fort Western today can expect to see historical re-enactments performed by trained volunteers.
Auror08 / TripAdvisor

Old Fort Western is open for walk-in visits from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. From May 26 until the end of June, as well as throughout September, it’s open Friday through Monday. In July, August and October, you can visit seven days a week. Find it at 16 Cony St., Augusta, ME 04330.

While Old Fort Western is one of the oldest historic landmarks in Maine, it’s hardly the only one. Dive deeper into Maine’s rich history at one of these 11 others.

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