Fort Levett: Difference between revisions
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In 1894 the government exercised its right to eminent domain and took control of the land from Francis Cushing to establish a new fort. The initial parcel of land was 33.75 acres which was deemed too small for military use. In 1903 the reservation was increased by 91.68 acres bringing the total to 127 acres. The fort was officially named on April 4th, 1900, after Christopher Levett who explored Casco Bay in the 1620s and was designated a sub post of [[Fort Williams]]. No construction on any part of the fort would begin until 1897. Four batteries were planned for the site in 1898. Railroad beds, drains, concrete mixing wells and other necessary infrastructure were prepared for construction and completed by 1899. The concrete work was started in 1900 on Battery Bowdoin and Kendrick. A narrow-gauge railway was completed in 1899 that connected each of the batteries. On November 29th, 1905, 15 main post buildings were accepted for service. The central powerhouse was completed either August 1903 or June 30th, 1905 (the engineer's notebook and QM book have different dates), for $52,600 along the parade ground with three Westinghouse 105 Horsepower steam engines that were purchased in 1903. This powerhouse would provide electricity for all of the tactical buildings at Fort Levett. Two 30-inch truck-mounted searchlights were transferred to Fort Levett on December 26th, 1905. Fort Levett was not garrisoned until 1907 when the 1st Company Coast Artillery Corps (CAC) came to Portland. On January 29th, 1909, a number of buildings were accepted for service including the switchboard building, dormitory, combined secondary station for [[Fort Williams]], Fire Command Positions and Base-End Stations for Batteries Chase, Bowdoin and Kendrick. Secondary Fire Control positions for Fort Levett were located in another stucco building at [[Fort Williams]]. On August 26th, 1909, another group of buildings were accepted for service including the district signal station, BC Stations for Batteries Bowdoin and Kendrick, the meteorological station and tide gauge station. In 1911 a brand-new searchlight powerhouse was built near whitehead to serve two 60-inch searchlights transferred April 28th, 1911. Another 60-inch searchlight was located on a concrete platform near Battery Daniels. <gallery mode="packed" heights="75"> | In 1894 the government exercised its right to eminent domain and took control of the land from Francis Cushing to establish a new fort. The initial parcel of land was 33.75 acres which was deemed too small for military use. In 1903 the reservation was increased by 91.68 acres bringing the total to 127 acres. The fort was officially named on April 4th, 1900, after Christopher Levett who explored Casco Bay in the 1620s and was designated a sub post of [[Fort Williams]]. No construction on any part of the fort would begin until 1897. Four batteries were planned for the site in 1898. Railroad beds, drains, concrete mixing wells and other necessary infrastructure were prepared for construction and completed by 1899. The concrete work was started in 1900 on Battery Bowdoin and Kendrick. A narrow-gauge railway was completed in 1899 that connected each of the batteries. On November 29th, 1905, 15 main post buildings were accepted for service. The central powerhouse was completed either August 1903 or June 30th, 1905 (the engineer's notebook and QM book have different dates), for $52,600 along the parade ground with three Westinghouse 105 Horsepower steam engines that were purchased in 1903. This powerhouse would provide electricity for all of the tactical buildings at Fort Levett. Two 30-inch truck-mounted searchlights were transferred to Fort Levett on December 26th, 1905. Fort Levett was not garrisoned until 1907 when the 1st Company Coast Artillery Corps (CAC) came to Portland. On January 29th, 1909, a number of buildings were accepted for service including the switchboard building, dormitory, combined secondary station for [[Fort Williams]], Fire Command Positions and Base-End Stations for Batteries Chase, Bowdoin and Kendrick. Secondary Fire Control positions for Fort Levett were located in another stucco building at [[Fort Williams]]. On August 26th, 1909, another group of buildings were accepted for service including the district signal station, BC Stations for Batteries Bowdoin and Kendrick, the meteorological station and tide gauge station. In 1911 a brand-new searchlight powerhouse was built near whitehead to serve two 60-inch searchlights transferred April 28th, 1911. Another 60-inch searchlight was located on a concrete platform near Battery Daniels. <gallery mode="packed" heights="75"> | ||
File:LevettMap.jpg|alt=|Early 1900s map | File:LevettMap.jpg|alt=|Early 1900s map | ||
File:WhiteheadFCS.jpg|alt=|Whitehead complex | File:WhiteheadFCS.jpg|alt=|Whitehead complex | ||
File:QuadFCS.jpg|alt=|Fort Williams Secondary Station | File:QuadFCS.jpg|alt=|Fort Williams Secondary Station | ||
File:SrchlightPwrhouse.jpg|alt=|Searchlight Powerhouse | File:SrchlightPwrhouse.jpg|alt=|Searchlight Powerhouse | ||
File:Fort Levett21.jpg|alt= | File:Fort Levett21.jpg|alt= | ||
File:Fort Levett20.jpg|alt=|Remaining searchlight tower | File:Fort Levett20.jpg|alt=|Remaining searchlight tower | ||
File:DistSigSta.jpg|alt=|Radio Station | File:DistSigSta.jpg|alt=|Radio Station | ||
File:Fort Levetts 01.jpg|alt= | File:Fort Levetts 01.jpg|alt= | ||
File:Fort Levett4.jpg|alt= | File:Fort Levett4.jpg|alt= | ||
File:LevettCenteralPowerhouse.jpg|alt=|1903 Central Powerhouse | File:LevettCenteralPowerhouse.jpg|alt=|1903 Central Powerhouse | ||
File:Levett (200) 44.jpg|alt=|Shortly after construction. | File:Levett (200) 44.jpg|alt=|Shortly after construction. | ||
File:Centeralpwrhouseinterior.jpg|alt=|Engine Room | File:Centeralpwrhouseinterior.jpg|alt=|Engine Room | ||
File:Levett (200) 33.jpg|alt= | File:Levett (200) 33.jpg|alt= | ||
File:Levett (200) 36.jpg|alt=|Engine Room | File:Levett (200) 36.jpg|alt=|Engine Room | ||
File:Levett (200) 30.jpg|alt=|Utility Pole | File:Levett (200) 30.jpg|alt=|Utility Pole | ||
File:Fort Levett3.jpg|alt=|Training in front of Admin building. | File:Fort Levett3.jpg|alt=|Training in front of Admin building. | ||
File:Levett (200) 32.jpg|alt=|NCO Quarters | File:Levett (200) 32.jpg|alt=|NCO Quarters | ||
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File:Fort Levett Batteries.jpg|alt=|1920s aerial image | File:Fort Levett Batteries.jpg|alt=|1920s aerial image | ||
File:Levett (79) 41.jpg|alt=|Rear | File:Levett (79) 41.jpg|alt=|Rear | ||
File:Levett (79) 39.jpg|alt=|Platform extension | File:Levett (79) 39.jpg|alt=|Platform extension | ||
File:Levett (79) 28.jpg|alt=|Emplacement #3 | File:Levett (79) 28.jpg|alt=|Emplacement #3 | ||
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File:Levett (79) 37.jpg|alt=|Shell Room | File:Levett (79) 37.jpg|alt=|Shell Room | ||
File:Levett (79) 36.jpg|alt=|Powder Room with racks | File:Levett (79) 36.jpg|alt=|Powder Room with racks | ||
File:Levett (79) 31.jpg|alt=|BC Station remain (dismantled 1990s) | File:Levett (79) 31.jpg|alt=|BC Station remain (dismantled 1990s) | ||
File:Fort Levetts 14.jpg|alt=|Plotting Room | File:Fort Levetts 14.jpg|alt=|Plotting Room | ||
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File:Fort Levett16.jpg|Battery Kendrick Plan | File:Fort Levett16.jpg|Battery Kendrick Plan | ||
File:Fort Levett Batteries.jpg|alt=|1920s aerial image | File:Fort Levett Batteries.jpg|alt=|1920s aerial image | ||
File:Fort Levett14.jpg|alt=|Widely reproduced postcard from the Ottawa Hotel of Battery Kendrick before the platforms were extended. | File:Fort Levett14.jpg|alt=|Widely reproduced postcard from the Ottawa Hotel of Battery Kendrick before the platforms were extended. | ||
File:Levett (79) 49.jpg|alt=|Excavated path to the battery. | File:Levett (79) 49.jpg|alt=|Excavated path to the battery. | ||
File:Levett (79) 50.jpg|alt=|Rear | File:Levett (79) 50.jpg|alt=|Rear | ||
File:Levett (200) 11.jpg|alt=|Emplacement #1 | File:Levett (200) 11.jpg|alt=|Emplacement #1 | ||
File:Levett (200) 09.jpg|alt=|Telephone Booth | File:Levett (200) 09.jpg|alt=|Telephone Booth | ||
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File:Levett (200) 07.jpg|alt=|Stairs to emplacement #1 | File:Levett (200) 07.jpg|alt=|Stairs to emplacement #1 | ||
File:Levett (200) 04.jpg|alt=|Gallery | File:Levett (200) 04.jpg|alt=|Gallery | ||
File:Levett (200) 02.jpg|alt=|Powder Room | File:Levett (200) 02.jpg|alt=|Powder Room | ||
File:Levett (200) 03.jpg|alt=|Shell Hoist location | File:Levett (200) 03.jpg|alt=|Shell Hoist location | ||
File:Levett (200) 29.jpg|alt=|BC Station ruins | File:Levett (200) 29.jpg|alt=|BC Station ruins | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
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File:Levett (200) 14.jpg|alt=|Emplacement #2 | File:Levett (200) 14.jpg|alt=|Emplacement #2 | ||
File:Levett (200) 15.jpg|alt=|Top of Shell Hoist #2 | File:Levett (200) 15.jpg|alt=|Top of Shell Hoist #2 | ||
File:Levett (200) 21.jpg|alt=|Crows Nest #1 | File:Levett (200) 21.jpg|alt=|Crows Nest #1 | ||
File:Levett (200) 22.jpg|alt=|Shell Room | |||
File:Levett (200) 22.jpg|alt=|Shell Room | |||
File:Levett (200) 23.jpg|alt=|Gallery | File:Levett (200) 23.jpg|alt=|Gallery | ||
File:Levett (200) 26.jpg|alt=|DC motor for shell hoist | File:Levett (200) 26.jpg|alt=|DC motor for shell hoist | ||
File:Levett (200) 20.jpg|alt=|1921 BC Station | File:Levett (200) 20.jpg|alt=|1921 BC Station | ||
File:Levett (200) 17.jpg|alt=|Note telephone boxes on right | File:Levett (200) 17.jpg|alt=|Note telephone boxes on right | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
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File:Daniels1914plan.jpg|1914 Plan | File:Daniels1914plan.jpg|1914 Plan | ||
File:Battery Daniels BC.jpg|1920 BC Station plan (converted to Mine OP) | File:Battery Daniels BC.jpg|1920 BC Station plan (converted to Mine OP) | ||
File:Levett (79) 42.jpg|Electric pole for nearby searchlight. | File:Levett (79) 42.jpg|Electric pole for nearby searchlight. | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
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File:Fort Levett28.jpg|alt=|BE-63 Telephone boxes for EE-91s | File:Fort Levett28.jpg|alt=|BE-63 Telephone boxes for EE-91s | ||
File:Fort Levett30.jpg|alt=|#2 Compressor Room | File:Fort Levett30.jpg|alt=|#2 Compressor Room | ||
File:Fort Levett27.jpg|alt=|Emplacement #2 rear entrance | File:Fort Levett27.jpg|alt=|Emplacement #2 rear entrance | ||
File:Fort Levetts 04.jpg|alt=|1943 central entrance | File:Fort Levetts 04.jpg|alt=|1943 central entrance | ||
File:Fort Levett34.jpg|alt=|Latrine | File:Fort Levett34.jpg|alt=|Latrine | ||
File:Fort Levett37.jpg|alt=|Unknown crate | File:Fort Levett37.jpg|alt=|Unknown crate | ||
File:Levett (79) 09.jpg|alt=|Powder and Shell rooms | File:Levett (79) 09.jpg|alt=|Powder and Shell rooms | ||
File:Levett (79) 10.jpg|alt=|Magazine | File:Levett (79) 10.jpg|alt=|Magazine | ||
File:Fort Levett39.jpg|alt=|1943 Generator Room | File:Fort Levett39.jpg|alt=|1943 Generator Room | ||
File:Levett (79) 08.jpg|alt=|1943 BC Station on top of 1921 station | File:Levett (79) 08.jpg|alt=|1943 BC Station on top of 1921 station | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||