About Fortland
A 5-minute video giving you a little taste of Fortland. From a 2022 feature on MaineLife: Special Spaces.
The Venue
A 16-acre campground and event venue on the grounds of historic Fort Scammel on House Island in Casco Bay, Fortland, is just a 10-minute boat ride from downtown Portland, ME. It includes seven beautifully-furnished camping sites (3 yurts and 4 tent cabins), as well composting toilet outhouses, an outdoor cooking area, a 40’ diameter event tent, 40,000 sq feet of historic civil war era architecture, and epic panoramic views of Portland harbor and the calendar islands. Fortland is open seasonally for camping and event rentals (weddings, retreats, reunions) from Memorial Day through mid-October.
The People
The Scarks family bought House Island in 2014, and sold the north half of the island soon thereafter. They began to contemplate ways to steward and preserve Fort Scammel and the beautiful surrounding ecology while at the same time making the island more accessible to visitors. And so, Fortland was born. The idea of a sustainable campground gained excitement as co-founders Stefan Scarks (engineer, ideator) and Travis Bullard (builder, artist) had the vision to build yurts on the existing circular granite gun foundations. They broke ground on the campground in 2020, continued building with the help of many hands through the next Spring and Summer, and welcomed the first visitors at a soft opening in the Fall of 2021. Fortland is a family-run business owned and operated by Stefan and his wife Katrina, their two children, and the hands of a great and growing team.
The Vision
The experience we provide our guests is defined by our sense of adventure, a sense of intentionality, and a little touch of magic. We value the restorative benefits of the outdoors and a chance to unplug from the grind, and we love the chance to foster a sense of discovery in our own family and yours. From our ongoing preservation efforts to our nicely furnished accommodations, we are intentional in everything we do. We are conscious of our actions and how they impact our guests, our community, and the integrity of Fort Scammel as well as the vibrant coastal ecology that thrives on the island. We love that, whether it’s your 1st visit or your 5th, this place never fails to awe and astonish our guests and visitors. We offer a sense of wonder and fun that is authentic to who we are as people and as a business.