Whether dotting the coastline, guarding the banks of the Kennebec or defending the Canadian border, Maine's many forts have sheltered its towns and people since the seventeenth century. Both Fort Kent and Fort Fairfield were built after the War of 1812 du

Harry Gratwick is the author of Mainers in the Civil War, Hidden History of Maine, Penobscot Bay and Stories from the Maine Coast. He spends his summers on Vinalhaven Island and is a member of the Vinalhaven Historical Society. He writes for two local publications, Island Journal and Working Waterfront, and holds an MA in history from Columbia University.