Native Americans inhabited this site at the confluence of the Kennebec and Sebasticook Rivers from at least 5000 years ago until 1692, and a pilgrim trading post was also located here in the 1650s. The site includes the oldest blockhouse in the United States, the last remnant of historic Fort Halifax. Built in 1754, the fort was garrisoned by Colonial Troops and their families for over a decade. During the Revolutionary War, it served as a stop on Benedict Arnold’s expedition to Quebec and hosted visitors including Aaron Burr, Chief Joseph Orono, and Paul Revere. By 1798, all that remained of Fort Halifax was the lone blockhouse, which had fallen into disrepair. Through grants and donations, the Fort Halifax Blockhouse was restored and Fort Halifax Park was created and improved.