Fort Levett: Difference between revisions

In 1894 the government exercised its right to eminent domain and took control of the land from Francis Cushing. The initial parcel of land was 33.75 acres which was deemed too small for military use. In 1904 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 August 26-29 a mock battle was created to test how strong the Naval ships were and how strong the Coast Artillery Forts were. Fort Levett did take part in this experiment. 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 secondar 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. <gallery mode="packed">

File:BowdinPlan.jpg

File:KendrickPlan.jpg

On September 16th, 1940, Fort Levett was manned by the 1st Battalion 240th Coast Artillery under Colonel Fogg. Battery A would service Battery Foote, Battery B would service Battery Bowdoin and Battery C would service Battery Ferguson, Battery G would service the AA guns. The existing 28 post buildings were noted to be in poor condition by June 1940 and a building boom would start at the fort adding 26 temporary buildings and renovating the existing ones. In a June 1941 report all new post construction was complete and the number of enlisted men was 758 (it had been 124 in 1939). $65,412 was spent on repairing the existing buildings. The new construction would include 10 barracks, four mess halls and various assorted support buildings. By the end of WWII, Fort Levett had 55 buildings. Upgrades would be made to Batteries Bowdoin and Ferguson to improve them for war. Test firings were completed in 1941. Additional construction would take place on Fire Control Structures and Battery Foote from 1942-44.

In 1948 all the remaining guns were scrapped, temporary WWII buildings salvaged, and the post was abandoned. The army wanted $177,000 for the entire fort and it was purchased in 1957 and became a private housing complex. In 1970 the original barracks building was demolished, and the Sewell FC stations were razed at whitehead. In the 1960s Battery Foote had drill holes made to test the concrete to see if the battery could be used for storing bank records. It never was and no modifications were made. A fire in the late 1970s destroyed most of the large officer's duplex but part of the first floor was salvaged and is now part of a tiny cottage. The hospital was renovated for a residence and the NCO duplexes were converted to single family dwellings. Some of the storehouses and workshops have also been converted to residences but many buildings also remain as storage such as the power plant, stables, mule barn, fire station and pump house. The area with the batteries and FC stations has been designated a nature preserve operated by the islanders but in the past, there were proposals to make it a camp or a science center. Therefore, many of the buildings remain unchanged although heavily weathered. Permission is needed to visit the island.