The History of Diamond Cove

"[This]...  picture is of the late afternoon ceremony of passing in review.  We were assembled platoon, and companies would report all present or accounted for, the evening cannon was fired, the bugler played tattoo while the flag was lowered while all eyes were on the flag and saluted with rifles or hand as the case was. The band struck up and all passed in review." From Citizen Military Camp Journal, circa 1932.

An Artists’ Retreat
Diamond Cove has attracted artists and vacationers for more than 200 years. Notable visitors included Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Some even trace the beginning of landscape art to early paintings of Diamond Cove.

A Military Stronghold
By the turn of the century, Diamond Cove had switched its allegiance from art to the U.S. Army. The heart of Diamond Cove is Fort McKinley, designed to defend Portland Harbor during the Spanish-American War. Built between 1891 and 1907, Fort McKinley housed more than 1,000 soldiers in brick barracks and Queen Anne-style officers’ quarters surrounding a stately parade ground. The fort was retired from active service in 1945.

A National Treasure
After decades of neglect, the fort has been restored to its original elegance. Barracks and officers’ quarters have become gracious homes with slate roofs, wooden porches, grand staircases and fireplaces. The former Quartermaster's storehouse is a fine restaurant; the wagon shed is an art gallery. Diamond Cove is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and every effort is made to preserve its architectural integrity.

Fort McKinley Museum
A non-profit museum of Fort McKinley artifacts and photographs has been created on-island, adjacent to the Art Gallery. The museum curator is Tony Curulla, and the museum is open for limited hours, typically in summer, on a volunteer basis. A stock of historic DVDs showing photographs of old McKinley structures -- from Military occupation, through abandonment, and to the present day -- is available at a modest cost through the museum (contact the on-site manager, Roger Shoemaker -- see Contacts page). A digital archive of old photographs is also maintained by the museum -- contact Bill Finney for more information. For those wishing to obtain a first-hand view of Fort McKinley structures, volunteer tours of the Fort Mckinley area are offered by appointment. We ask non-residents to please use the tour, rather than walking to structures on foot, as Fort McKinley structures are located on private property. To schedule a tour please contact Judy Lee (X-5814) or Judithklee at aol.com. 

Calling All Fort McKinley Veterans
Are you a veteran who served at Ft. McKinley? We would love to hear from you, please contact Tony Curulla at curulla at snet.net.