by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

The Fort O’Brien State Historic Site in Machiasport takes its name from a fortification built there after the Battle of Machias in 1775.  However, that fort was burned down by the British, who occupied the area during the War of 1812. According to a history soon to be published by the Machiasport Historical Society, five British men-of-war ships and 900 British soldiers captured Fort O’Brien and burnt the barracks in 1814. Cannon that were taken then were returned to Machias in 1818.