Fort Edgecomb State Historic Site on Davis Island in Edgecomb, Maine showcases the oldest wooden blockhouse fort in the United States. Constructed in 1808-1809, this distinctive octagonal two-story structure was built to protect Wiscasset, a critical port and one of New England's busiest harbors in the early nineteenth century. The fort's eight-sided design commanded the narrows of the Sheepscot River and was strategically positioned within star-shaped earthworks to provide panoramic views and enable defenders to protect against both water and land attacks. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and expanded as a historic district, the three-acre site offers guided summer tours, opportunities to observe harbor seals and nesting ospreys, and waterfront picnic areas overlooking maritime traffic.
