Fort Williams Park is a 90-acre park in

Cape Elizabeth, Maine Cape Elizabeth is a New England town, town in Cumberland County, Maine, Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The town is part of the Portland, Maine, Portland–South Portland, Maine, South Portland–Biddeford, Maine, Biddeford, Mai ...

, encompassing numerous historical sites. Perhaps most famous for having

Portland Head Light Portland Head Light is a historic lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The light station sits on a head of land at the entrance of the primary shipping channel into Portland Harbor, which is within Casco Bay in the Gulf of Maine. Completed in 17 ...

on its grounds, the park also encompasses the decommissioned and largely demolished

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

post Fort Williams, which was operational during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Historic sites

Portland Head Light

Portland Head Light is a lighthouse inside Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Construction began in 1787 at the directive of George Washington, and was completed on January 10, 1791. Today, Portland Head Light stands 80 feet above ground and 101 feet above water, its white conical tower being connected with a dwelling. The 200,000-candlepower, DCB 224 airport-style aerobeacon is visible from 24 miles away. The grounds and the keeper's house are owned by the town of Cape Elizabeth, while the beacon and fog signal are owned and maintained by the

U.S. Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mul ...

as a current aid to navigation. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Portland Head on April 24, 1973, reference number 73000121.

Goddard Mansion

Goddard Mansion, a prominent ruin inside Fort Williams Park, was built in 1853–59 for Colonel John Goddard. Colonel Goddard was a businessman who commanded the

1st Maine Volunteer Cavalry Regiment The 1st Maine Cavalry Regiment was a volunteer United States cavalry unit from Maine used during the American Civil War. Service history The regiment was organized in Augusta, Maine, on October 31, 1861, and served for three years. The original ...

for three months during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. The mansion was purchased in 1898 by Judge Joseph W. Symond. In 1900, it was acquired by the federal government during the expansion of Fort Williams. The mansion was converted to quarters for non-commissioned officers and the basement was used as a non-commissioned officer's club. The mansion's remaining walls still stand on the hill overlooking Fort Williams.

Fort Williams

A former fort of the

, Fort Williams operated from 1872 to 1964.

Fort Williams-War Time

Portland Headlight began to transform into a fort in 1896 with the installation of the first battery. By 1898, the first 3 batteries were installed and by 1899, the title was officially Fort Williams. Following the acquisition of additional acreage by the Army in 1900, major expansions took place including a barracks, officers’ quarters, hospital, and more. With the United States’ involvement in the Great War beginning in 1917, Fort Williams was placed on alert. Prior to the war, each battery, such as Battery Blair, was manned by 3 companies consisting of 80-100 soldiers. Due to catching the tail-end of the war, the German Navy was no longer considered a threat, and many of the soldiers stationed would be sent to Europe. In 1939 and through much of World War 2, the fort was heavily manned once more by members of the 240th Coastal Artillery Regiment. When test-firing the old batteries the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Battery Blair destroyed surrounding property due to the shock blast. By 1944, all of the original batteries and cannons had been removed as the fort was transitioning into an administrative headquarters. Fort Williams remained as an administrative headquarters until 1964, when the town of Cape Elizabeth purchased the property.Tess Nacelewicz. "Fort Williams at 100 Cape Elizabeth’s Grand Old Sentry, Which Has Been Transformed Into One of the Prettiest Parks Anywhere, Hits the Century Mark, and the Town Plans to Celebrate Through the Summer: ITY Edition" Portland Press Herald, 1999.Kim, Ann S. "Unearthing Fort Williams' Past: Officials Contemplate the Feasibility of Restoring Historic Battery Blair." Portland Press Herald, 2010.

Present

After proposals ranging from a Coastal Science Park to low-income housing, the Cape Elizabeth Town Council designated Fort Williams on July 23, 1979, as Fort Williams Park. The park has been maintained for residents and non-residents for no fee. Recreational facilities include two tennis courts, a basketball court,baseball diamond, a course for physical fitness, picnic tables and cookout facilities, a picnic shelter, and recreational opportunities for walking, running, and dog walking. All visitors to

pass through the park, adding to its visibility. The

Beach to Beacon 10K The Toronto-Dominion Bank Beach to Beacon 10K is a road running event that takes place along the coastline of Cape Elizabeth, Maine. It begins at Crescent Beach State Park and ends at the Portland Head Light in Fort Williams Park. Starting out a ...

is the park's largest annual event.

References

External links

Official websites * * * {{Coord, 43, 37, 24, N, 070, 12, 40, W, display=title, name=Fort Williams Park Tourist attractions in Maine Parks in Cumberland County, Maine Cape Elizabeth, Maine