This small plot of land is quite deceiving. You think you are going to look at a fort and run smack dab into years of mayhem, cemeteries, shipwrecks, hangings and hauntings. After learning about the history of this location it’s no wonder I would get almost a “car sick” feeling as soon as we pulled onto the dirt road. Every time. Now I know why. I would even go so far as to say this land has got to be cursed.
Fort Charles was the first to be erected here. In 1677, the governor of New York ordered the two story wooden structure to be constructed in order to protect the new settlement. This settlement was the product of many happy people just wanting to settle down and live a happy life. Guess what, you don’t necessarily get to do that after taking the land from the Native American people who already occupied the area. Twelve years later, Fort Charles fell in a Native American attack. What did they expect?
The second, Fort William Henry was built of stone in 1692 to defend against the teamed up French and Wabanaki. That lasted about four years when it was destroyed in the Siege of Pemaquid. Wait until you hear this...
Captain Pasco Chubb (has a nice ring to it, don’t you think) was in charge of the fort and when the Abenaki started waving their truce flag around to discuss prisoner exchange, Chubb decided to go meet with Chief (Sagamore) Edgeremet and his sons.
Chubb, being an asshat of epic proportions, basically wiped his hiney on said truce flag and ordered his men to fire once the Chief and his sons were off guard. This started a blaze of hellfire to rain down on the colonist’s and Fort William Henry basically exploded water and mortar until it was no more. (You just don’t piss on a truce flag, Chubbs.)
But wait! There’s more!
Chubbs being the coward of all cowards, decided to wave his own truce flag around, was able to talk his way into a safe escape to Boston and LEFT HIS MEN BEHIND TO GET KILLED OR TAKEN PRISONER AFTER STIRRING UP THE SHIT STORM TO END ALL SHIT STORMS! Once he got to Boston, the governor was shocked to hear of his actions and threw his sorry cowardly ass in jail! Good place for him, I’d say. After his release in 1697, the Abenaki, still furious over his actions, found him and killed him and his family.
These guys know how to hold a grudge.
Since two fallen forts aren’t enough, let’s go for a third one shall we? In 1729 Fort Frederick was built from the ruins of Fort William Henry. It was ready for war and was successful in defending against two separate attacks in 1747. This one wasn’t torn apart in a rain of gun fire or destroyed in war, so they decided to tear it down in 1775 so the British could not use it during the American Revolution. It seems as though a Fort wasn’t meant to stand on this land.
Over a century later, the state of Maine bought the historical site and got to work, once again, reconstructing the tower and base of Fort William Henry, right on top of the former fort. It is now a wondrous museum, packed with all things jaw dropping. As soon as you walk in you are faced with a huge cliff…yes the fort, was actually built around the very rock that the Native Americans would hide behind while ambushing and/or fighting the British. You can all but see the attack playing out right in front of you.
The second floor contains a museum of photos, historical facts, time lines, portraits of notable people and old dug up artifacts. Then we get to the top. The roof of the fort looks out over the bay, allowing expansive views of something very different from 200+ years ago. Today, unaffordable homes, sail boats and vacationers dot the landscape, however, with a little imagination you can look out and see war ships and misery headed straight at you. Turn to look out at the land that all the forts from the past tried to protect and the battle ground, killings and torn apart lives come to life.
The original stone wall still wraps around, complete with magazine, where I had the opportunity to befriend a teeny mouse living in the rock walls. Who am I kidding. I saw the mouse-the mouse saw me-and we both ran in opposite directions. Just to the right of the fort are winding webs of brick remaining that once served as the former forts officers quarters.
Now we come to the Fort House, a giant beauty of a structure that was built by Alexander Nickels Jr. His father was the last commander during Fort Fredericks’ tenure and decided to build the house and start up a farm in the late 1700’s. This home and the surrounding property changed hands time and time again to be used for farming of various types. I guess you could say the property exchanged ‘farm’ hands. (Hold the applause.)
In 1888 the idea of having a farm here faded away and the glorious home became a summer home until 1976 when it became a part of the history of the land and preserved. It is now an archaeological lab (how cool is THAT) and storage area. I can’t tell you how bad I wanted to go inside, but the ranger told me no. Darn.
Now, we cross the lawn and come to the Old Burying Ground where many of the settlers are buried. You can see where the cemetery began and then spread out when tombstones were more available. The center of the cemetery has graves marked with field stones instead of commemorative epitaphs. You can read more about this cemetery here: https://www.tumbleweedstripod.com/post/the-old-fort-cemetery
FYI Alexander Nickels and family are buried here.
These days a museum and restaurant are in business on the farthest end of the grounds, riding the banks of the bay. Just in case walking across luscious lawn that was blood soaked four times over doesn’t whet your appetite, you can get a water view and do the “I’m in Maine-who cares about history-I want my lobster on the water-“ meal.
With that said, to get to the restaurant, you can take the road or walk across the lawn and check out what’s left of the village. Small foundations of what is left of the original settlement are roped off and preserved as best as can be at this point in time. How many of these people were ripped from their homes and killed during the constant wars during the last two centuries? There is even a replica of what the homes back then would have looked like.
I feel like the particular patch of land just doesn’t want any inhabitants. There is way too much blood shed, anger and sorrow to ever make this area anything but oppressive.
Do you suppose any of the spirits of these people are still roaming the grounds? One such spirit is that of Chief Taukolexis. He was hung just near the fort in 1696. Some have seen his spirit near the tree where he met his fate. Others have reported cold spots (you’re on the banks of the Maine ocean…sooooo…..) while some see fleeting winks of light and orbs hovering around the tree where he was hung. Others see him loitering in front of the doors of the fort.
My guess is he is not the only lingering spirit here.
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