The BDN Opinion section operates independently and does not set news policies or contribute to reporting or editing articles elsewhere in the newspaper or on bangordailynews.com
Julia Gray is the executive director of Castine’s Wilson Museum. Benjamin Smith is president of the Arnold Expedition Historical Society.
This year we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The anniversary gives us the opportunity and obligation to educate Maine youth and all people in Maine on the principles, leadership, hopes, wins, and losses that collided to form a radical, new, lasting American democracy.
Yet wIth regret, several Maine state historic sites are today closed to the public due to a lack of financial resources appropriated to the sites’ owner, the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. We write today to urge the Maine Legislature to vote for pending bipartisan legislation that would use available state surplus funds for badly needed one-time capital investments in state historic sites.
In Castine at the mouth of the Penobscot River, Fort George State Historic Site is a cherished community open space. But key areas of the fort are unsafe due to lack of investment. Fort George was built by the British when they occupied Castine during the Revolution. The fort was unsuccessfully attacked by an American armada in the largest naval expedition of the war. Today despite significant closed-off sections, Fort George hosts thousands of tourists along with Scouting derbies, school recreation, and community events.
In Pittston on the banks of the Kennebec River, the Major Reuben Colburn House State Historic Site is closed due to lack of funds for desperately needed capital repairs. The Colburn House was briefly the headquarters for Colonel Benedict Arnold, as his forces built batteaux and staged the invasion of Quebec during the Revolution. Arnold was assisted along the way by Abenaki legends Sabatis and Natanis. Arnold’s wilderness expedition portaging between the Kennebec, Dead, Chaudiere, and Saint Lawrence rivers is widely regarded as one of the greatest military marches in history. The Arnold Trail today overlaps with the Colburn House, Fort Halifax State Historic Site in Winslow, the emerging Skowhegan River Park, the Appalachian Trail, the Bigelow Preserve and Maine Huts & Trails at Flagstaff Lake, Chain of Ponds Public Reserved Land, the Old Canada Road National Scenic Byway, and more of Maine’s conservation and recreation landscape.
Colburn House suffers a worsening powderpost beetle infestation. This infestation is actively weakening the beams and overall structural integrity of this irreplaceable historic building. There is no issue of lack of interest and leadership by the Bureau of Parks and Lands, but rather solely insufficient resources.
Maine Preservation, an expert advocacy group, placed both Fort George and Colburn House on the list of Maine’s Most Endangered Historic Places. Earlier this year Maine Preservation wrote Gov. Janet Mills urging funding for these sites, noting “a rare moment to reflect upon the country’s origins in revolution, the places in Maine where this history happened, and how Americans must continue to strive for a more perfect union.” Maine Preservation writes that capital investments would ensure these places integral to Maine’s shared heritage can persist for future generations, as sites of learning.
A bi-partisan coalition of legislators emerged last year troubled that many other Maine state historic sites also suffer a dire need of investment. The Bureau of Parks and Lands published a list of millions of dollars in priority strategic capital projects.
Admiral Peary’s Eagle Island State Historic Site in Harpswell is also closed, and was also recently added to Maine Preservation’s list of Maine’s Most Endangered Historic Places. Admiral Peary led the first expedition to the North Pole, and also was the first to prove conclusively that Greenland is an island.
The Bureau of Parks and Lands is the celebrated steward of Maine’s most treasured and iconic resources including lakes, beaches, islands, forests, mountains, trails, and historic sites. The bureau has a strong record creating exceptional visitor experiences at state historic sites ranging from Fort Kent to the Allagash locomotives to Wabanaki shell middens to Fort McClary in Kittery.
Working together with legislative support we plan to invest and to educate future generations.