page_title: Fort Western
section_title: French and Indian War
hierarchical_section_title: Fort Western / French and Indian War
caption_attribution_description: English: Fort Western, Maine
context_page_description: Fort Western is a former British colonial outpost at the head of navigation on the Kennebec River at modern Augusta, Maine, United States. It was built in 1754 during the French and Indian War, and is now a National Historic Landmark and local historic site owned by the city. Its main building, the only original element of the fort to survive, was restored in 1920 and now depicts its original use as a trading post.
context_section_description: Fort Western was built by a Boston land company (the Kennebec Proprietors) in 1754 as a fortified trading post, and to promote settlement in the area. The fort was a log palisade with blockhouses which protected a store and warehouse. It was never directly attacked.  From a high elevation a large rectangular enclosure commanded the river for more than a mile.  Blockhouses 24 feet square and watch-boxes 12 feet square guarded opposite corners, and within stood a two-story main house 100 by 32 feet (30.5 m × 9.8 m).  After the war ended, James Howard, its last commander, purchased the fort and operated the trading post.
caption: Fort Western, Maine
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