News & Events
The Annual Cape Elizabeth Garden Tour is coming July 14th. Tickets are on sale now!
Tickets are now on sales at many greater Portland locations as well as online. Please visit the Garden Tour page for more information.
Visit the Cliff Walk and see what's been accomplished.
Linkel Construction was selected and began the second phase of work at the Cliffside site this past Fall. This phase has involved building a retaining wall, a freestanding stone wall, boulder walls and seats, a granite flagstone stage for the amphitheater, granite thresholds, stone steps, stone dust landings, pathways and gathering areas, and finally loaming and seeding. Weather permitting, our goal is to complete the rest of Phase II by Memorial Day of 2012.
THANK YOU to Carol Murray, owner of Bluestone Quarry...
for her generous donation of all the stone to be used for the stone walls at the Cliffside site. We are so very grateful for her contribution and support for the arboretum project. In addition, we thank the many volunteers and the Cape Elizabeth Public Works Department for all their help this past fall.
The Arboretum Project
A project of the Fort Williams Foundation, the Arboretum at Fort Williams Park is a volunteer project dedicated to creating an arboretum of fifteen individual landscapes around the perimeter of the park. A trail system will link these landscapes and provide greater accessibility as well as enhanced recreational and
educational opportunities. The Arboretum project is supported by the Cape Elizabeth
Town Council, Planning Board, Fort Williams Charitable
Foundation, and the Fort Williams Advisory Commission.
The overall project plan is based upon several key objectives that are in support of the Fort William’s Master Plan created by the Cape Elizabeth Town Council in 1990:
• Reverse damage done by invasive species
• Create native and sustainable landscapes
• Restore native wildlife habitat
• Enhance the outdoor recreation experience
• Identify educational resources and opportunities
The Arboretum at Fort Williams Park is funded
through private donations and public grants. The ultimate
design consists of 15 planted landscapes connected
by a perimeter pathway. 
The steering committee has developed a phased approach for
project implementation. The objective is to complete
one significant site which will be used as a model for
future landscapes. The first site, The Cliffside
Demonstration Site (left, by TJD&A and Bruce John Riddell), will be planted with native and
sustainable species designed to preserve the scenic
vistas along the coastline. In a prominent location,
this site will be enjoyed by the thousands of visitors
who visit Portland Head Light.
To download a copy of our Prospectus, please click here.
Our Mission
Statement
The Arboretum at Fort Williams Park will enhance and preserve the beauty of Cape Elizabeth’s historic site by using native and non-invasive plantings. As a legacy for future generations, the Arboretum will inspire, educate and be a continual reminder of the importance of the natural world in our every day lives.
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Visit the Foundation site
Tickets on sale for the Garden Tour!
