Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth served as an Army post for thousands of soldiers for more than 60 years.
Now, the foundation overseeing the town-owned park is seeking those who served there to tell their stories.
The Fort Williams Park Foundation wants everything from photos to letters and more. It also wants to hear from the families of veterans who were stationed at the fort when it was still a thriving military base.
In addition, the foundation is also partnering with students at Cape Elizabeth High School, who will record oral interviews with anyone willing to talk about what it was like way back when.
The goal of this history project, according to resident Jim Rowe, who often leads guided tours of the park, is to “develop an archive of as much information as possible on Fort Williams, particularly its military history.”
The fort officially closed as a military base more than 50 years ago, so, Rowe said, time is running out to “grab the opportunity to talk to those people who served here and to find out what life at the fort was like during their active service.”
Rowe said the Fort Williams Park Foundation and the Cape Elizabeth Historical Preservation Society have “a lot of old photos, but we are trying to get the personal touch and a flavor of what it was like for those who lived on the base right up until it closed in 1962.”
He remembers going on base at 8 years old because his Cub Scout leader was a soldier stationed at the fort. Rowe said Fort Williams was once a “self-contained town, with anything you needed,” including a swimming pool and a movie theater.
James McCain, the arboretum director for the Fort Williams Park Foundation, said the reason his group is now seeking veterans of the fort is because part of its mission is to “preserve and enhance the natural and historic resources of Fort Williams Park for future generations.”
He said the foundation is seeking “first- and/or secondhand accounts from veterans and/or families of veterans to paint a picture of what life was like” at the fort when it was an Army base.
Overall, he said, “We are hoping to further educate the public about the history of Cape Elizabeth and the history of Fort Williams in particular.”
For John Holdridge, who serves as the volunteer and extended learning opportunities coordinator at Cape Elizabeth High School, the Fort Williams project is a way to “connect our students with real-world learning opportunities in the community.”
Holdridge has been working with Janet Villiotte, the education coordinator for the Fort Williams Park Foundation, “for ways to extend and deepen the relationship that Cape schools have with Fort Williams and this was an opportunity to do that.”
He said it’s important for students to “have purposeful work that allows them to use their skills and passions to benefit others. This is yet another opportunity for our students to serve the greater good.”
Holdridge said that by doing the actual interviewing and filming of veterans and their families, students can “meet history head on (and) meet people in the community they might not otherwise come into contact with, along with deepening their appreciation and understanding of the sacrifices that others have made.”
He also hopes that the Fort Williams project could provide a springboard for the creation of a Youth Media Team at the high school that could “serve the community as photographers, videographers and digital historians.”
Maine Historical Society records show that Fort Williams was initially commissioned in 1899 to replace Fort Preble in South Portland.
President William McKinley named the fort in honor of Maj. Gen. Seth Williams, a Maine Civil War hero who served at Gettysburg and who was assigned to the staff of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.
Williams was also present when the South surrendered at the Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. Unfortunately, he didn’t survive long after the war. He died in 1866 and is buried in his native Augusta.
According to historical records, Fort Williams operated as the headquarters for the harbor defense of Portland during World War II and also housed Army Reserve units until it closed in 1962.
Originally a 14-acre property, a decade of building and expansion at Fort Williams began in 1901 as the officers’ quarters, the non-commissioned officers’ quarters, the enlisted barracks, a hospital, gymnasium, Post Exchange, guardhouse, bakery, laundry and fire station were all built.
During World War I, the fort was fully manned by artillery companies and National Guard troops. It was during this war that anti-aircraft guns were added to the defenses.
During World War II, the fort served as the headquarters for harbor defense and in 1942 the 240th Coast Artillery Regiment was also assigned to the fort.
In January 1950, Fort Williams became a logistical and administrative support installation for all military units and personnel in the state of Maine.
Two years after the fort closed, a special town meeting was held and the residents of Cape Elizabeth agreed to buy Fort Williams for $200,000.
Since then, many of the former buildings have been torn down, although a restoration effort is now under way to preserve the remains of several of the historic batteries, as well as the Goddard Mansion.
A closer look
Anyone who served at Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth before it closed in 1962 or the families of any veterans who served there are invited to share their stories, photographs and documents with the Fort Williams Park Foundation. Call Jim Rowe at 712-7598 or see the foundation’s Facebook page for more information.
Now a crumbling relic, Battery Blair was once a bustling part of Fort Williams. The foundation that oversees the fort is soliciting memories and stories from people who served at the former Army base.
Fort Williams was named for Maine Civil War hero Maj. Gen. Seth Williams, who served on the staff of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.
A 3-inch anti-aircraft gun, manned by the 240th Regiment, was placed behind Battery Blair at Fort Williams during World War II.
An aerial view of Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth when it served as an armed post.
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