Fort Gorges photo from friendsoffortgorges.org.
Friends of Fort Gorges has a new promotional video on their website, friendsoffortgorges.org, with narration by Daniel Noel. In it, the group shows the decay that is happening to the historic structure.
The mission of the Friends Of Fort Gorges is to keep Fort Gorges safe and accessible. Their goal is to restore the Fort for future generations.
The landmark was built by the Army in 1858 as a military fort, East of Portland on Hog Island Ledge in Portland Harbor. Named for Sir Fernando Gorges, the colonial ruler of Maine, it was meant to support other forts, including Fort Scammel on nearby House Island. Fort Gorges was also used by the Army to store submarine mines during World War Two.
It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is owned by the City of Portland. It is now open to the public, but is accessible only by private boat. To get there, one must navigate some strong currents.
The Friends of Fort Gorges is seeking funding from the city for a floating dock to ease visits to the fort. The “FoFoGo” are also always looking for new members, and can be reached at
info@friendsoffortgorges.org.
