When President George Washington commissioned the building of the Portland Head Light in 1793, little did the farmers, fisherman, sea captains and other early settlers dream of the park that would one day come to surround the light 200 years later. Today’s Fort Williams Park was an important military facility for the defense of Portland Harbor through two world wars.

The Town of Cape Elizabeth purchased the Fort in 1965, but with limited funds to invest in it, the Fort lay dormant for 10 years. In 1975 a major sewer project generated a huge amount of fill that the Town used to build roads and playing fields in the Park and to cover the gun batteries along the shoreline. Two of the batteries were covered completely, however, Battery Blair’s North gun emplacement was left exposed. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 1899 naming of Fort Williams, the Fort Williams Advisory Committee (FWAC) and a volunteer committee raised funds to turn this one platform into an interpretive center. Located just behind Portland Head Light, Battery Blair is now one of the most visited areas in the Park.

For the past two years, the FWAC has been studying the existing infrastructure in Fort Williams. As a part of the process, they looked at the remaining gun batteries for potential improvements and restoration. After careful review, they decided that Battery Blair had the best potential for restoration.

In 2009, the FWAC created the Battery Blair Committee to study the feasibility of removing a portion of the earth covering and using it to present the history of the battery. In the 35 years since the batteries were buried, there has been a growing belief that the Park's rich history, especially its military history, is significant and that it is critical to educate the public on the importance of the preservation and interpretation of historical areas. The Commission believes that Battery Blair is a unique structure worthy of deeper study for restoration. The rehabilitation of Battery Blair would enhance the history of the Fort and would be a strong partner with the Portland Head Light Museum and its focus on the history of the lighthouse.

Click here to read a recent story from the Portland Press Herald on the restoration of Battery Blair.