Battery Steele

Peaks Island is a uniquely situated island in Maine. It is located in Casco Bay and is just about a mile and a half off the shores of Portland, Maine. This made it a strategic position for forts to be established to defend Portland.

The Peaks Island Military Reservation was first established in 1906 as part of the Harbor Defenses of Portland. Over the years, it saw many changes. The reservation began during the Endicott Period, which last from 1890 to 1910. Under the leadership of Secretary of War William C. Endicott, US President Grover Cleveland established the Board of Fortifications in 1885 as a joint army, navy, and civilian board. This board studied the defensibility of the US and found major improvements were needed. During the Endicott Period, the government spent $127 million to increase the number of coastal defenses all around the US. During this time, the government purchased about 20 acres on Peaks Island to build a pair of searchlights and a fire control station. These fortifications were used during World War 1.

When World War 2 began, the government looked again to strengthen its defensibility and Peaks Island was once again a point of interest. The government purchased about 150 acres on the island to build a number of structures, including Battery Steele.

Construction on Battery Steele began in 1942 and it was completed in 1944. It was then transferred to the Coast Artillery for use in 1945. The battery was equipped with two 16-inch MarkII-M1 guns mounted on one M4 and one M5 Casemated Barbette Carriages. Each gun emplacement was covered by a massive concrete casemate that hung over it. 

Getting the guns to this battery was no easy task. Both of the guns were first manufactured at the Watervliet Arsenal in Watervliet, New York. They were then sent by rail to the South Portland Shipyard in Maine. From there, they were slid onto a barge and brought over to Peaks Island. Peaks Island lacked a lot of infrastructure at that time, so a specially built wharf was created for the two guns. Once arriving at the wharf, the guns were put on trailers and moved to Battery Steele. The guns were mounted in place in May of 1943.

This battery was rather unique due to the fact that it is all one story. There was a central magazine that stored shells and powder for the guns mounted on either end. In order to move the ammo to the guns, overhead tracks, and chain hoists were used. To disguise the battery, it was covered by earth.