Laurel J. Daigle has lived, worked, and raised a family in Fort Kent. He was born in 1939 the son of Alcide Hilaire Daigle and Gertrude (Daigle) Daigle. Mr. Daigle graduated from the Madawaska Training School with the class of 1960. He was president of the Alumni Association in 1964. Laurel worked as guidance director at the Fort Kent Community High School. He was the owner of Country Cottage in Fort Kent. He’s also the author of local history volumes such as Fort Kent (Images of America); A chronological history: Fort Kent's Saint Louis Catholic Church; History of public education in Maine School Administrative District No. 27: a long tradition of service and excellence; Holy Family Parish, Daigle, Maine, 1906-2000: commemorating 94 years of ministry. Furthermore, Laurel has been a member of the Fort Kent Historical Society for many years.

The Fort Kent Blockhouse is located at the confluence of the Fish River and the St. John River in Fort Kent, Maine. The blockhouse is the only fortification relating to the "Bloodless" Aroostook War of 1838-1839, and the border dispute between Great Britain and the United States. The signing of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty in 1842 settled the boundary dispute between Maine and New Brunswick and reduced the need for a fort, although federal troops remained there until 1845 to protect Maine’s and the United States’ interests in the region.

The blockhouse is a two-story structure. Its walls are built of square-hewn cedar logs, some of which measure over 19 inches in width. It is an excellent example of early 19th-century military architecture. The blockhouse serves as a museum and is maintained by local Eagle Scouts in cooperation with the Bureau of Parks and Recreation, Maine Department of Conservation. The state-owned blockhouse is on the National Register of Historic Places as well as being a National Historic Landmark.