PORTSMOUTH — Armed with rakes, shovels, tree saws and loppers, 34 volunteers took part in this year’s first cleanup of Butts Hill Fort, a Revolutionary-era earthwork near Portsmouth High School.

Volunteer crews focused on several areas, and started clearing the defensive ditches at the entrance to the fort, as well as clearing the earthworks on the interior.

“You can really see the difference the last few clearings have made,” said Butts Hill Fort Restoration Committee member Burt Quist. “We’re excited to see how far we’ve come, but also resolute in knowing how far we have to go.”

Among the tasks that lie ahead: Filling three dumpsters with debris left over from the last cleanups in 2021, continue clearing debris from the interior and exterior of the fort, and the grinding of the many stumps so that town workers can mow.

Once again, members of a work crew from Fort Adams in Newport came prepared with a stump grinder and personnel. The committee was also grateful to Megan deBethune, who once again used her tractor to help speed up the clearing of the debris. 

Anyone interested in joining the committee’s efforts to restore the fort and to broaden the public knowledge of the Rhode Island Campaign, can e-mail Seth Chiaro at seth.chiaro@gmail.com. Look for Butts Hill Fort Restoration on Facebook.