Butts Hill Fort committee outlines restoration goals, fundraising push for north-half project

Members of the Butts Hill Fort Restoration Committee presented the council with their 2026 work plan, highlighting completed earthwork restoration on the southern half of the fort, partnerships and fundraising goals to complete the north half.

Paul Murphy, committee chair, credited volunteers and a 2024 grant from the Van Beuren Charitable Foundation for progress on phase one and said the group received a $5,000 Americana Corner grant to underwrite interpretive signage. Murphy said the committee hopes to raise roughly $100,000 to fund the next phase of earthwork restoration on the northern half but that the project is scalable.

Plans for this year include installing historical markers and a prominent entry sign, pursuing a Liberty Trail Rhode Island virtual trail partnership with the American Battlefield Trust, and coordinating an Eagle Scout project to replace wooden rails on a small green space. The committee asked for town assistance to remove a dirt mound at the top of Dyer Street and to consider modest traffic- and parking- flow changes to support safe site access.

Councilors commended the volunteers and asked staff to coordinate with DPW, police and the school department on access and traffic details; the committee said they will continue fundraising and volunteer maintenance.