300:
45:
291:, leaving 30 men under the command of Captain Nathaniel Miles to complete the fort. Once it was complete, it was guarded by a garrison of 50 men from the Pennsylvania Colonial Militia and for the next 16 months, Fort Halifax served as the chief supply post on the line of communications between the area settlements and Shamokin where Fort Augusta would be built later that same year.
742:
323:). If you agree to my proposals in behalf of my nation, I will return and immediately collect our whole force to be employed in protecting your people while you are building a fort in our country...The land is troubled, and you may justly apprehend danger, but if you will grant our request we will be together, and if any danger happens to you, we will share it with you."
272:. On 5 June, 1756, Clapham marched out of Fort Hunter with five companies of men to proceed north along the Susquehanna River to establish a supply post, which would become Fort Halifax. He picked the site along the Susquehanna due to its proximity to a vast stand of pine timber that could be used for construction and because it was near a water-powered sawmill on
52:
409:. A historical marker was erected in 1946 by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The area of the former fort is now part of the Halifax Township Park and Conservation Area, which consists of 174 acres (0.70 km) bordered on one side by the Susquehanna River and contains a long stretch of Armstrong Creek.
283:
The fort was originally named "Camp at
Armstrong" until General Morris changed it in 1756. It was a 160 feet (49 m) stockade with four bastions and a surrounding earthwork about 10 feet high. Archaeological excavations in 2021 revealed that the fort’s walls consisted of squared logs that were
542:
The
History and Topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry Counties (Pennsylvania): Containing a Brief History of the First Settlers, Notices of the Leading Events, Incidents and Interesting Facts, Both General and Local, in the History of These Counties, General &
373:
was used to identify below-ground features. Part of the surface was plowed to turn up artifacts in hopes of locating a concentration of 18th-century items associated with the fort. Items recovered from the surface include clay tobacco pipes and pipe stems, brass buttons and buckles, fragments of
341:
parties, having no command of the channel, which runs close on the western shore, and is besides covered with a large island between the channel and fort, so that numbers of the enemy may even in the daytime, run down the river without being seen by that
699:
299:
1110:
332:
In August, 1757, local citizens signed a petition alleging that Fort
Halifax was unsuitable for their protection, and requesting the transfer of the garrison to Fort Hunter. They stated that Fort Halifax
315:"The Iroquois living on the North Branch of Sasquehanna have lent me as a representative of the whole, to treat with you and will ratify all my contracts. Brother, they agree to your building a Fort at
473:
Amanda
Rasmussen, "An Analysis of the Archaeological Remains at Fort Halifax Park." Presented at The 80th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, San Francisco, California. 2015
692:
524:
1115:
685:
276:. In a June 11 letter to Governor Morris, Clapham noted that the site he chose for the fort was suitable in part due to "...the vast Plenty of Pine Timber at Hand, its nearness to
319:, but are desirous that you should also build a Fort three days journey, in a canoe, higher up, the North Branch, in their country, at a place called "Adjouquay" (present-day
509:
Amanda
Rasmussen, "An Analysis of Archaeological Remains at Fort Halifax Park," doctoral dissertation, Department of Anthropology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2016
1056:
1125:
346:
Late in 1757, the garrison at Fort
Halifax was transferred back to Fort Hunter where they were considered better positioned for the defense of settlements south of
412:
1130:
196:
1120:
337:"...is a very bad situation, being built beyond two ranges of hills, and nobody living near it, none could be protected by it; that it is no station for
307:
On 10 June 1756, Clapham held a conference with
Oghaghradisha, an Iroquois chief, at Clapham's military camp. Oghaghradisha presented Clapham with a
872:
1105:
781:
672:
260:, and guarded by a garrison of the Third Battalion of the Pennsylvania Provincial Regiment. Fort Halifax was constructed as a subpost along the
44:
567:
369:
Highway
Archaeological Survey Team, in the area where the fort was believed to have stood, started in 2011-2013 and continued in 2014-2015.
1095:
987:
472:
78:
615:
1100:
406:
273:
280:
and a Saw within a
Quarter of a Mile." In later correspondence he mentions the complete absence of roads along the river.
962:
1017:
347:
237:
27:
957:
922:
265:
917:
776:
761:
726:
997:
972:
731:
708:
370:
126:
766:
844:
839:
823:
797:
402:
320:
494:
1042:
932:
802:
712:
241:
229:
157:
667:
642:
Notes and
Queries, Historical, Biographical and Genealogical, Relating Chiefly to Interior Pennsylvania
818:
257:
571:
457:
771:
756:
543:
Statistical Descriptions of All the Principal Boroughs, Towns, Villages, &c., with an Appendix,
1007:
316:
277:
677:
1012:
1002:
854:
555:
385:
uncovered stones believed to be part of a barracks hearth, arrow points, musket balls, a bone
261:
225:
640:
982:
849:
354:
525:
John Moore, "Dig uncovers suspected foundations, relics from French and Indian War post,"
495:
Joe Baker and Amanda Rasmussen, "Archaeology at Fort Halifax Park," Series Article: Part 2
429:
382:
253:
174:
947:
992:
907:
619:
1089:
967:
952:
942:
927:
902:
424:
375:
374:
ceramic plates and cups, lead musket balls, gun flints, part of a wooden spoon and a
1037:
1032:
1027:
1022:
937:
897:
882:
877:
592:
483:
434:
288:
269:
233:
31:
460:
Report of the Commission to Locate the Site of the Frontier Forts of Pennsylvania,
539:
977:
887:
311:
belt and gave Clapham the Iroquois name "Ugcarumhiunth." He told Clapham that
892:
1071:
1058:
93:
80:
741:
390:
338:
366:
389:, a watch winding key, a copper button, and fragments of hand-painted
603:
308:
303:
1780 map showing Fort Halifax to the left of the center of the page.
668:
Maps of 18th century forts in Pennsylvania, including Fort Halifax.
353:
It was dismantled in 1763, having become superfluous at the end of
660:
508:
298:
386:
681:
381:
In June, 2023 renewed excavations led by archaeologists from
393:
from Europe. Excavations are expected to continue in 2024.
236:, United States. It was a temporary stronghold in northern
673:
Map of Fortifications on the Pennsylvania frontier in 1756
604:"Fort Halifax," The Historical Marker Database, 7 Feb 2023
1111:
Buildings and structures in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
287:
Clapham left the post in July to start construction of
401:
A stone monument, erected in 1926, is located along
64:
Approximate location of Fort Halifax in Pennsylvania
863:
832:
811:
790:
749:
719:
203:
194:
190:
182:
168:
163:
153:
145:
137:
132:
122:
117:
109:
72:
20:
645:. Harrisburg Publishing Company. 1895. p. 20.
556:"Fort Halifax, Pennsylvania," Legends of America
1116:Protected areas of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
618:. Central PA Conservancy. 2006. Archived from
693:
8:
240:, from 1756 to 1757, during the time of the
616:"Halifax Township Park and Recreation Area"
504:
502:
462:Vol. 1, State Printer of Pennsylvania, 1896
700:
686:
678:
17:
365:Excavations by staff and students of the
570:. American Forts Network. Archived from
415:was named in commemoration of the fort.
1126:1757 disestablishments in North America
520:
518:
516:
453:
451:
449:
445:
593:Fort Halifax Park website: Archaeology
264:with three other forts, Fort Harris,
202:
193:
7:
1131:Archaeological sites in Pennsylvania
51:
1121:1756 establishments in Pennsylvania
425:List of Forts in the United States
14:
740:
228:near the present day borough of
50:
43:
1106:Colonial forts in Pennsylvania
197:Pennsylvania Historical Marker
1:
361:Archaeological investigations
295:Meeting with Iroquois leaders
252:The fort was erected by Col.
238:Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
1096:French and Indian War forts
732:Battle of the Great Meadows
328:Abandonment and dismantling
1147:
762:Battle of the Monongahela
738:
727:Battle of Jumonville Glen
215:
211:
38:
25:
371:Ground penetrating radar
127:Province of Pennsylvania
845:Battle of Fort Ligonier
840:Battle of Fort Duquesne
824:Bloody Springs massacre
798:Battle of Sideling Hill
405:north of Halifax along
178:Captain Nathaniel Miles
175:Colonel William Clapham
568:"Fort of Pennsylvania"
403:Pennsylvania Route 147
321:Pittston, Pennsylvania
304:
284:stacked horizontally.
224:was located along the
1101:Forts in Pennsylvania
1072:40.47786°N 76.93339°W
1043:Heinrich Zeller House
933:Fort Juniata Crossing
803:Kittanning Expedition
782:Gnadenhütten massacre
767:Penn's Creek massacre
713:French and Indian War
540:Rupp, Israel Daniel.
302:
242:French and Indian War
158:French and Indian War
94:40.48306°N 76.93306°W
819:Hochstetler massacre
256:, with the order of
164:Garrison information
1077:40.47786; -76.93339
1068: /
772:Great Cove massacre
757:Braddock Expedition
458:Clarence M. Busch,
99:40.48306; -76.93306
90: /
1008:Fort Prince George
622:on August 24, 2006
574:on August 13, 2009
305:
123:Controlled by
1051:
1050:
1013:Redstone Old Fort
1003:Fort Presque Isle
855:Forbes Expedition
484:Fort Halifax Park
262:Susquehanna River
226:Susquehanna River
219:
218:
32:Pennsylvania, USA
1138:
1083:
1082:
1080:
1079:
1078:
1073:
1069:
1066:
1065:
1064:
1061:
850:Treaty of Easton
744:
702:
695:
688:
679:
664:
663:
661:Official website
647:
646:
637:
631:
630:
628:
627:
612:
606:
601:
595:
590:
584:
583:
581:
579:
564:
558:
553:
547:
537:
531:
522:
511:
506:
497:
492:
486:
481:
475:
470:
464:
455:
413:Halifax Township
118:Site information
105:
104:
102:
101:
100:
95:
91:
88:
87:
86:
83:
54:
53:
47:
34:
18:
1146:
1145:
1141:
1140:
1139:
1137:
1136:
1135:
1086:
1085:
1076:
1074:
1070:
1067:
1062:
1059:
1057:
1055:
1054:
1052:
1047:
865:
859:
828:
807:
786:
745:
736:
715:
706:
659:
658:
655:
650:
639:
638:
634:
625:
623:
614:
613:
609:
602:
598:
591:
587:
577:
575:
566:
565:
561:
554:
550:
545:G. Hills, 1846.
538:
534:
527:The Daily Item,
523:
514:
507:
500:
493:
489:
482:
478:
471:
467:
456:
447:
443:
430:William Clapham
421:
407:Armstrong Creek
399:
397:Memorialization
383:Juniata College
363:
330:
297:
274:Armstrong Creek
258:Governor Morris
254:William Clapham
250:
199:
177:
170:
98:
96:
92:
89:
84:
81:
79:
77:
76:
68:
67:
66:
65:
62:
61:
60:
59:
55:
26:
12:
11:
5:
1144:
1142:
1134:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1118:
1113:
1108:
1103:
1098:
1088:
1087:
1049:
1048:
1046:
1045:
1040:
1035:
1030:
1025:
1020:
1015:
1010:
1005:
1000:
995:
993:Fort Northkill
990:
988:Fort Necessity
985:
980:
975:
970:
965:
963:Fort Lyttleton
960:
955:
950:
945:
940:
935:
930:
925:
920:
915:
910:
908:Fort Granville
905:
900:
895:
890:
885:
880:
875:
869:
867:
861:
860:
858:
857:
852:
847:
842:
836:
834:
830:
829:
827:
826:
821:
815:
813:
809:
808:
806:
805:
800:
794:
792:
788:
787:
785:
784:
779:
777:Kobel massacre
774:
769:
764:
759:
753:
751:
747:
746:
739:
737:
735:
734:
729:
723:
721:
717:
716:
707:
705:
704:
697:
690:
682:
676:
675:
670:
665:
654:
653:External links
651:
649:
648:
632:
607:
596:
585:
559:
548:
532:
512:
498:
487:
476:
465:
444:
442:
439:
438:
437:
432:
427:
420:
417:
398:
395:
362:
359:
344:
343:
329:
326:
325:
324:
296:
293:
249:
246:
217:
216:
213:
212:
209:
208:
205:
201:
200:
195:
192:
191:
188:
187:
184:
180:
179:
172:
166:
165:
161:
160:
155:
151:
150:
147:
143:
142:
139:
135:
134:
130:
129:
124:
120:
119:
115:
114:
111:
107:
106:
74:
70:
69:
63:
57:
56:
49:
48:
42:
41:
40:
39:
36:
35:
28:Dauphin County
23:
22:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1143:
1132:
1129:
1127:
1124:
1122:
1119:
1117:
1114:
1112:
1109:
1107:
1104:
1102:
1099:
1097:
1094:
1093:
1091:
1084:
1081:
1044:
1041:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1031:
1029:
1026:
1024:
1021:
1019:
1018:Fort Robinson
1016:
1014:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1004:
1001:
999:
996:
994:
991:
989:
986:
984:
983:Mercer's Fort
981:
979:
976:
974:
971:
969:
968:Fort Machault
966:
964:
961:
959:
956:
954:
953:Fort Ligonier
951:
949:
946:
944:
943:Fort Le Boeuf
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
929:
928:Fort Hyndshaw
926:
924:
921:
919:
916:
914:
911:
909:
906:
904:
903:Fort Duquesne
901:
899:
896:
894:
891:
889:
886:
884:
881:
879:
876:
874:
871:
870:
868:
862:
856:
853:
851:
848:
846:
843:
841:
838:
837:
835:
831:
825:
822:
820:
817:
816:
814:
810:
804:
801:
799:
796:
795:
793:
789:
783:
780:
778:
775:
773:
770:
768:
765:
763:
760:
758:
755:
754:
752:
748:
743:
733:
730:
728:
725:
724:
722:
718:
714:
710:
703:
698:
696:
691:
689:
684:
683:
680:
674:
671:
669:
666:
662:
657:
656:
652:
644:
643:
636:
633:
621:
617:
611:
608:
605:
600:
597:
594:
589:
586:
573:
569:
563:
560:
557:
552:
549:
546:
544:
536:
533:
530:
528:
521:
519:
517:
513:
510:
505:
503:
499:
496:
491:
488:
485:
480:
477:
474:
469:
466:
463:
461:
454:
452:
450:
446:
440:
436:
433:
431:
428:
426:
423:
422:
418:
416:
414:
410:
408:
404:
396:
394:
392:
391:Delft pottery
388:
384:
379:
377:
372:
368:
360:
358:
356:
355:Pontiac's War
351:
349:
348:Blue Mountain
340:
336:
335:
334:
327:
322:
318:
314:
313:
312:
310:
301:
294:
292:
290:
285:
281:
279:
275:
271:
267:
263:
259:
255:
247:
245:
243:
239:
235:
231:
227:
223:
214:
210:
206:
198:
189:
185:
181:
176:
173:
167:
162:
159:
156:
152:
148:
144:
140:
136:
131:
128:
125:
121:
116:
112:
108:
103:
75:
71:
46:
37:
33:
29:
24:
19:
16:
1053:
1038:Fort William
1033:Fort Venango
1028:Fort Swatara
1023:Fort Shirley
958:Fort Loudoun
948:Light's Fort
938:Fort Lebanon
913:Fort Halifax
912:
898:Fort Deshler
883:Fort Bedford
878:Fort Augusta
709:Pennsylvania
641:
635:
624:. Retrieved
620:the original
610:
599:
588:
576:. Retrieved
572:the original
562:
551:
541:
535:
529:Jun 22, 2023
526:
490:
479:
468:
459:
435:Fort Augusta
411:
400:
380:
364:
352:
345:
331:
306:
289:Fort Augusta
286:
282:
270:Fort Augusta
251:
248:Construction
234:Pennsylvania
222:Fort Halifax
221:
220:
154:Battles/wars
133:Site history
58:Fort Halifax
21:Fort Halifax
15:
1075: /
978:Fort McCord
973:Fort Manada
923:Fort Hunter
888:Fort Bigham
711:during the
578:January 26,
266:Fort Hunter
146:In use
97: /
73:Coordinates
1090:Categories
1063:76°56′00″W
1060:40°28′40″N
918:Fort Henry
893:Fort Depuy
873:Fort Allen
626:2007-01-26
441:References
376:Jew's harp
342:garrison."
204:Designated
171:commanders
85:76°55′59″W
82:40°28′59″N
998:Fort Pitt
149:1756-1757
864:Frontier
419:See also
339:batteaux
317:Shamokin
278:Shamokin
183:Garrison
367:PennDOT
230:Halifax
309:wampum
268:, and
186:50 men
866:Forts
138:Built
833:1758
812:1757
791:1756
750:1755
720:1754
580:2007
207:1946
169:Past
141:1756
113:Fort
110:Type
387:die
244:.
1092::
515:^
501:^
448:^
378:.
357:.
350:.
232:,
30:,
701:e
694:t
687:v
629:.
582:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
