Fort Kent State Historic Site

Maine’s Aroostook War Blockhouse — Only Surviving American Fortification, National Historic Landmark, US-Canada Border, St. John River, 1839 Log Blockhouse

Fort Kent State Historic Site is a state historic site in Fort Kent, Aroostook County, Maine, at the confluence of the Fish River and St. John River on the US-Canada border. The site preserves the only surviving American fortification from the Aroostook War (1838–1839) — a National Historic Landmark log blockhouse built in 1839, named after Maine Governor Edward Kent, featuring a museum with historical displays, and commemorating the bloodless boundary dispute between the United States and Great Britain.

Fort Kent’s log blockhouse is the sole surviving American fortification from the Aroostook War — often called the “Pork and Beans War” — a bloodless boundary dispute between the US and Great Britain over the Maine-New Brunswick border. Built in 1839 at the strategic confluence of the Fish and St. John Rivers, the fort was named after Governor Edward Kent of Maine. The crisis was resolved by the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842, which established the current international border. Today the restored blockhouse serves as a museum with historical displays about the conflict, the St. John River Valley, and the region’s French-Acadian heritage. The site sits at Maine’s northernmost point, where the town of Fort Kent looks across the river to Clair, New Brunswick, Canada.

Things to Do

Historic Exploration

• 1839 log blockhouse — only surviving Aroostook War fortification
• Museum displays — Aroostook War history
• Webster-Ashburton Treaty context
• French-Acadian heritage

Scenic

• Fish River + St. John River confluence
• US-Canada border views
• Clair, New Brunswick across the river

Park Information

Best Time to Visit

Visitor Tips

• Only survivor: This is the ONLY surviving American fortification from the Aroostook War — a unique National Historic Landmark.
• Bloodless war: The “Pork and Beans War” was resolved without combat — the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842 established the current US-Canada border.
• Border town: Fort Kent sits at Maine’s northernmost point — look across the St. John River to Clair, New Brunswick, Canada.
• Remote: Fort Kent is ~3.5 hours north of Bangor — plan your visit as part of a northern Maine road trip (Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Acadian Village).
• Allagash: Fort Kent is the northern terminus of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway — canoeists finishing the 92-mile trip end near here.
• Free: No admission fee — donations appreciated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wildlife & Nature

Fort Kent SHS — built during the Aroostook War (1838-1839) — the bloodless border dispute between the US and Britain over the Maine-New Brunswick boundary. The restored blockhouse is one of the northernmost historic forts in the eastern US. The site’s St. John and Fish Rivers support bald eagles and Atlantic salmon.

Nearby Attractions

Fort Kent — adjacent — the northern terminus of US Route 1 (which runs 2,369 miles to Key West, FL). New Brunswick, Canada — across the river.

Last updated: May 2026