420:
556:
337:
58:
400:, and Colonel Clapham and determined that Fort Hunter should be demolished. Its garrison and supplies were to be divided between Fort Augusta and Fort Halifax. In July and August, settlers in the area protested that removing the fort would put their homes in danger, and after several months of consideration, the governor instead decided to demolish Fort Halifax and transfer its garrison to Fort Hunter. A company of 50 men was assigned to range the country between Fort Hunter and
283:
923:
65:
389:
Erwin to Fort
Halifax. Mears informed Erwin that "Col. Clapham had no Command of him nor of his men: that he shou'd not pay any Regard to these Orders of Colonel Clapham's or the Governour's, for how cou'd the Governor give him the Command of that Fort and yet Command it himself." Clapham had Mears arrested and sent Ensign Jacob Kerns to replace him.
419:
372:. There are references in historic documents to a stockade, to "a magazine of provisions and other warlike stores," and to the construction (in January, 1757) of "a Room for the Officers & Barracks for the Soldiers...in Hunters Fort." It was described as having "a commanding view of the river." Fort Halifax was 160 feet wide with
388:
As of 10 January 1756, the garrison had only 25 men, but by 13 November, it consisted of two sergeants and 34 privates from the
Augusta Regiment. In November 1756, Colonel Clapham ordered the interim commander of Fort Hunter, Ensign John Mears, to furnish fifteen men to escort the wagon master Robert
486:
Starting in 2006, archaeological excavations began, initially to try to locate the fort. A stone-lined well was discovered in 2008, and this may have been the fort's source of fresh water. In 2018 the dig uncovered a cannonball, musket balls, chunks of iron, crucible pieces, metals for blacksmithing
322:
and garrisoned with volunteer militia recruited by Thomas McKee, an Indian trader who operated a trading post nearby. McKee was appointed captain of "McKee's
Volunteers," but provisions, clothing and ammunition were in short supply, and the post was vulnerable to attack. On 10 January, Governor
359:
Colonel
Clapham chose to build Fort Hunter about 500 yards east of the mill, near the Susquehanna River, which the army was using to transport troops and supplies. Fort Hunter, like other forts near the river, was intended to monitor river traffic to prevent war parties from approaching the
499:
yielded gunflints, broken glass, glazed ceramics, and white clay pipe fragments. A cluster of artifacts and building materials located in 2019 was identified as part of the fort, and by 2020 some 6,688 artifacts had been recovered, including a large fragment of a
471:
880:
404:, to prevent Native American war parties from moving into the area. In February 1758, the garrison was strengthened to 80 men, and by July 1758 consisted of two companies with a total of 108 men and officers.
1291:
327:
ordered 25 men to be sent from
Carlisle to reinforce McKee's garrison, and "to deliver to Cap't McKee such Provincial arms, accouterments, blankets, tools and stores as he may at any time have received."
265:. Fort Hunter was part of a defensive line of forts built in Pennsylvania during 1755 and 1756, at the start of hostilities with the French and their allied Native Americans. It was briefly used during
873:
356:. On 7 April 1756, Governor Morris ordered Clapham to march his regiment to Hunter's Mill to begin construction. On 11 May 1756, McKee handed over command of the fort to Colonel Clapham.
524:, still connected by a tiny brass loop after 250 years in the ground. Mapping the locations of these artifacts revealed the likely location of the fort, part of which lies under the
866:
352:
to construct forts in a defensive line in central
Pennsylvania, to defend against French and Native American attacks on settlements that were becoming more frequent as part of the
439:, was posted there briefly to supervise the recruitment of 700 troops for the defense of the province, and the gathering and the transfer of supplies, to be sent upriver to
447:
informed
Governor Hamilton that the defensive ditch surrounding the fort had been filled in, and that he had "alwise kept a small party of the men stationed at Hunter's."
1306:
1301:
1316:
298:, owned by Samuel Hunter who lived on Fishing Creek. The mill was located about six miles north of Harris' Ferry, probably five hundred feet west of the mouth of
1321:
564:
221:
1311:
91:
1281:
299:
1053:
436:
1276:
962:
1261:
784:
57:
732:
1286:
43:
707:
vol. 6, April 1, 1755, through
September 30, 1756, ed. Leonard W. Labaree. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1963, pp. 423–424.
1168:
393:
377:
662:
Fort of the French and Indian War: Maps of 18th century forts in
Pennsylvania, including Fort Hunter, Fort Halifax, and Fort Augusta.
703:"To Benjamin Franklin from Augustus Gottlieb Spangenberg, 8 March 1756," Founders Online, National Archives. Original source:
568:
532:
1143:
572:
1198:
39:
20:
1138:
1093:
295:
525:
464:
1296:
1098:
957:
942:
907:
456:
250:
24:
1178:
1153:
912:
889:
424:
401:
315:
258:
947:
435:
in June 1763, when the it served as a supply depot and a recruiting station. Joseph
Shippen Jr., secretary to
311:
1025:
1020:
1004:
978:
810:
555:
539:
periods, between nine thousand and fifteen hundred years ago. These consisted of stone tools, spear points,
336:
799:
427:
showing Fort Hunter on the east bank of the Susquehanna River, below and to the left of the map's center.
1223:
1113:
983:
893:
584:
353:
262:
168:
661:
632:
999:
460:
324:
825:
487:
and gun-smithing, spear points, grinding stones, Indian pottery and dishware, and the near complete
952:
937:
687:
540:
444:
376:, so Fort Hunter was likely similar in construction, but no drawings or plans exist. In July 1758
282:
1188:
702:
858:
800:"Fort Hunter Archaeology," Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission website, September 10, 2015
769:
474:
wrote in his journal that he had seen the ruins of Fort Hunter while travelling by boat up the
1193:
1183:
1035:
475:
345:
303:
1163:
1030:
599:
455:
The fort was abandoned after the end of Pontiac's War and fell into ruins. The community of
432:
408:
380:
ordered the stockade repaired and the defensive ditch surrounding the fort to be enlarged.
266:
172:
589:
536:
349:
19:
This article is about a historic fort in Pennsylvania, U.S.. For the community located in
1128:
531:
Excavations have also uncovered numerous Native American artifacts, dating mainly to the
1173:
1088:
785:
Gina Napoli, "A Deep Dig: Excavation reveals pieces of a long history at Fort Hunter,"
488:
307:
318:
decided to fortify Hunter's Mill, and in January 1756, it was fortified with a simple
1270:
1148:
1133:
1123:
1108:
1083:
501:
397:
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1118:
1078:
1063:
1058:
594:
440:
690:
Report of the Commission to Locate the Site of the Frontier Forts of Pennsylvania,
411:, the garrison was transferred and the fort was used only for storage until 1763.
646:
1158:
1068:
633:
James Herbstritt, Janet Johnson and Kurt Carr, "Digging Fort Hunter’s History,"
509:
361:
1251:
1246:
1241:
1073:
492:
106:
93:
922:
505:
291:
257:
fortified by Samuel Hunter in 1755 and later enlarged and maintained by the
254:
852:
Don Morfe, "Fort Hunter History," Historical Marker Database, July 22, 2015
286:
Reconstructed stockade and blockhouse similar to the original Fort Hunter.
521:
459:
was established nearby after 1787. The property was purchased in 1787 by
373:
365:
319:
571:
and Fort Hunter Road. An informational history board can be seen at the
649:
Fortress America: The Forts That Defended America, 1600 to the Present.
544:
513:
1252:"State Museum Perspectives: Archaeology at Fort Hunter," Mar 30, 2021
851:
517:
496:
841:
Craig Swain, "Fort Hunter," Historical Marker Database, July 2, 2007
840:
747:
758:
554:
418:
335:
281:
478:. In 1814 McAllister built a storehouse on the site of the fort.
463:, who built his home there. It still stands and is known as the
369:
862:
748:
Fort Hunter historical marker, The Historical Marker Database
1247:"Fort Hunter Archaeological Excavation – 2016," Sep 23, 2016
1262:
Map of Fortifications on the Pennsylvania frontier in 1756
1256:
1292:
Buildings and structures in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
443:. The fort was still occupied in October 1763, when the
1044:
1013:
992:
971:
930:
900:
228:
219:
215:
207:
183:
178:
164:
156:
148:
143:
135:
130:
122:
85:
32:
575:at Fort Hunter Park in Fort Hunter, Pennsylvania.
559:Informational history board at Fort Hunter Park.
407:Following the end of hostilities after the 1758
563:A historical marker was erected in 1947 by the
472:François Alexandre Frédéric de La Rochefoucauld
392:In March 1757, Governor William Denny met with
735:Forts on the Pennsylvania Frontier: 1753–1758,
360:settlements. The fort probably consisted of a
139:Dauphin County Parks and Recreation Department
1242:"Fort Hunter Archaeological Dig," Oct 2, 2014
874:
565:Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
340:Historical marker on the site of Fort Hunter.
8:
431:Fort Hunter was put to temporary use during
692:Vol. 1, State Printer of Pennsylvania, 1896
249:was a military fort located in present-day
881:
867:
859:
737:(Classic Reprint). Fb&c Limited, 2018.
29:
16:18th century fort in colonial Pennsylvania
811:"Have We Found the Fort at Fort Hunter?"
728:
726:
724:
722:
720:
718:
716:
714:
1307:History of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
683:
681:
679:
677:
675:
673:
671:
669:
610:
512:, a thimble with pins, a pile of small
314:in October 1755, the government of the
77:Location of Fort Hunter in Pennsylvania
1302:Government buildings completed in 1756
828:This Week in Pennsylvania Archaeology,
813:This Week in Pennsylvania Archaeology,
772:This Week in Pennsylvania Archaeology,
628:
626:
624:
622:
620:
618:
616:
614:
290:Fort Hunter was initially a stockaded
1317:Pre-statehood history of Pennsylvania
759:Fort Hunter Mansion and Park, history
227:
218:
7:
1322:Archaeological sites in Pennsylvania
44:Middle Paxton Township, Pennsylvania
1312:1756 establishments in Pennsylvania
647:Kaufmann, J. E.., Kaufmann, H. W..
64:
1282:British forts in the United States
14:
635:Pennsylvania Heritage," Fall 2011
921:
705:The Papers of Benjamin Franklin,
63:
56:
302:, near its confluence with the
253:. It was initially a stockaded
1277:Colonial forts in Pennsylvania
222:Pennsylvania Historical Marker
1:
826:"Fort Hunter in Quarantine,"
573:Fort Hunter Historic District
40:Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
21:Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
1287:French and Indian War forts
1257:Fort Hunter Mansion website
913:Battle of the Great Meadows
1338:
526:Archibald McAllister House
465:Archibald McAllister House
269:, then abandoned in 1763.
18:
943:Battle of the Monongahela
919:
908:Battle of Jumonville Glen
770:"Fort Hunter Flashback,"
516:lead shot, and a pair of
457:Fort Hunter, Pennsylvania
251:Fort Hunter, Pennsylvania
240:
236:
51:
37:
25:Fort Hunter, Pennsylvania
815:Friday, November 8, 2019
733:Hunter, William Albert.
425:Province of Pennsylvania
316:Province of Pennsylvania
259:Province of Pennsylvania
211:25-108 men plus officers
1026:Battle of Fort Ligonier
1021:Battle of Fort Duquesne
1005:Bloody Springs massacre
979:Battle of Sideling Hill
567:at the intersection of
437:Governor James Hamilton
350:Colonel William Clapham
203:Captain James Patterson
560:
428:
341:
287:
1224:Heinrich Zeller House
1114:Fort Juniata Crossing
984:Kittanning Expedition
963:Gnadenhütten massacre
948:Penn's Creek massacre
894:French and Indian War
830:Tuesday, June 9, 2020
651:Hachette Books, 2007.
585:French and Indian War
558:
422:
354:French and Indian War
339:
312:Penn's Creek Massacre
310:. In response to the
285:
263:French and Indian War
169:French and Indian War
107:40.34611°N 76.91194°W
1000:Hochstetler massacre
543:, and large cooking
461:Archibald McAllister
384:Garrison and command
325:Robert Hunter Morris
277:
191:Captain Thomas McKee
179:Garrison information
953:Great Cove massacre
938:Braddock Expedition
688:Clarence M. Busch,
541:cord-marked pottery
504:base, as well as a
445:Reverend John Elder
414:
378:General John Forbes
201:Ensign George Price
112:40.34611; -76.91194
103: /
1189:Fort Prince George
569:North Front Street
561:
429:
342:
288:
136:Controlled by
1232:
1231:
1194:Redstone Old Fort
1184:Fort Presque Isle
1036:Forbes Expedition
476:Susquehanna River
451:Abandonment, 1763
346:Benjamin Franklin
306:, in present-day
304:Susquehanna River
244:
243:
199:Ensign Jacob Kern
197:Ensign John Mears
1329:
1031:Treaty of Easton
925:
883:
876:
869:
860:
854:
849:
843:
838:
832:
823:
817:
808:
802:
797:
791:
789:October 31, 2018
782:
776:
767:
761:
756:
750:
745:
739:
730:
709:
700:
694:
685:
664:
659:
653:
644:
638:
630:
520:and green glass
495:musket. A trash
423:1759 map of the
409:Treaty of Easton
364:surrounded by a
131:Site information
118:
117:
115:
114:
113:
108:
104:
101:
100:
99:
96:
67:
66:
60:
47:
30:
1337:
1336:
1332:
1331:
1330:
1328:
1327:
1326:
1267:
1266:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1046:
1040:
1009:
988:
967:
926:
917:
896:
887:
857:
850:
846:
839:
835:
824:
820:
809:
805:
798:
794:
783:
779:
774:October 4, 2020
768:
764:
757:
753:
746:
742:
731:
712:
701:
697:
686:
667:
660:
656:
645:
641:
631:
612:
608:
590:William Clapham
581:
553:
551:Memorialization
537:Middle Woodland
484:
453:
417:
386:
370:defensive ditch
344:In March 1756,
334:
280:
275:
224:
202:
200:
198:
196:
195:Captain Johnson
194:
192:
190:
185:
171:
111:
109:
105:
102:
97:
94:
92:
90:
89:
81:
80:
79:
78:
75:
74:
73:
72:
68:
38:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1335:
1333:
1325:
1324:
1319:
1314:
1309:
1304:
1299:
1294:
1289:
1284:
1279:
1269:
1268:
1265:
1264:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1237:
1236:External links
1234:
1230:
1229:
1227:
1226:
1221:
1216:
1211:
1206:
1201:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1176:
1174:Fort Northkill
1171:
1169:Fort Necessity
1166:
1161:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1144:Fort Lyttleton
1141:
1136:
1131:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1096:
1091:
1089:Fort Granville
1086:
1081:
1076:
1071:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1050:
1048:
1042:
1041:
1039:
1038:
1033:
1028:
1023:
1017:
1015:
1011:
1010:
1008:
1007:
1002:
996:
994:
990:
989:
987:
986:
981:
975:
973:
969:
968:
966:
965:
960:
958:Kobel massacre
955:
950:
945:
940:
934:
932:
928:
927:
920:
918:
916:
915:
910:
904:
902:
898:
897:
888:
886:
885:
878:
871:
863:
856:
855:
844:
833:
818:
803:
792:
787:The Burg News,
777:
762:
751:
740:
710:
695:
665:
654:
639:
609:
607:
604:
603:
602:
597:
592:
587:
580:
577:
552:
549:
483:
480:
452:
449:
416:
413:
385:
382:
333:
330:
308:Dauphin County
279:
276:
274:
271:
242:
241:
238:
237:
234:
233:
230:
226:
225:
220:
217:
216:
213:
212:
209:
205:
204:
187:
181:
180:
176:
175:
166:
162:
161:
158:
154:
153:
150:
146:
145:
141:
140:
137:
133:
132:
128:
127:
124:
120:
119:
87:
83:
82:
76:
70:
69:
62:
61:
55:
54:
53:
52:
49:
48:
35:
34:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1334:
1323:
1320:
1318:
1315:
1313:
1310:
1308:
1305:
1303:
1300:
1298:
1297:Pontiac's War
1295:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1285:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1275:
1274:
1272:
1263:
1260:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1245:
1243:
1240:
1239:
1235:
1225:
1222:
1220:
1217:
1215:
1212:
1210:
1207:
1205:
1202:
1200:
1199:Fort Robinson
1197:
1195:
1192:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1182:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1172:
1170:
1167:
1165:
1164:Mercer's Fort
1162:
1160:
1157:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1149:Fort Machault
1147:
1145:
1142:
1140:
1137:
1135:
1134:Fort Ligonier
1132:
1130:
1127:
1125:
1124:Fort Le Boeuf
1122:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1109:Fort Hyndshaw
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1085:
1084:Fort Duquesne
1082:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1051:
1049:
1043:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1018:
1016:
1012:
1006:
1003:
1001:
998:
997:
995:
991:
985:
982:
980:
977:
976:
974:
970:
964:
961:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
935:
933:
929:
924:
914:
911:
909:
906:
905:
903:
899:
895:
891:
884:
879:
877:
872:
870:
865:
864:
861:
853:
848:
845:
842:
837:
834:
831:
829:
822:
819:
816:
814:
807:
804:
801:
796:
793:
790:
788:
781:
778:
775:
773:
766:
763:
760:
755:
752:
749:
744:
741:
738:
736:
729:
727:
725:
723:
721:
719:
717:
715:
711:
708:
706:
699:
696:
693:
691:
684:
682:
680:
678:
676:
674:
672:
670:
666:
663:
658:
655:
652:
650:
643:
640:
637:
636:
629:
627:
625:
623:
621:
619:
617:
615:
611:
605:
601:
600:Pontiac's War
598:
596:
593:
591:
588:
586:
583:
582:
578:
576:
574:
570:
566:
557:
550:
548:
546:
542:
538:
534:
529:
527:
523:
519:
515:
511:
507:
503:
498:
494:
490:
481:
479:
477:
473:
468:
466:
462:
458:
450:
448:
446:
442:
438:
434:
433:Pontiac's War
426:
421:
415:Pontiac's War
412:
410:
405:
403:
399:
398:Conrad Weiser
395:
390:
383:
381:
379:
375:
371:
367:
363:
357:
355:
351:
348:commissioned
347:
338:
331:
329:
326:
321:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
300:Fishing Creek
297:
293:
284:
278:Hunter's Mill
272:
270:
268:
267:Pontiac's War
264:
260:
256:
252:
248:
239:
235:
231:
223:
214:
210:
206:
189:Samuel Hunter
188:
182:
177:
174:
173:Pontiac's War
170:
167:
163:
159:
155:
151:
147:
142:
138:
134:
129:
126:Military fort
125:
121:
116:
88:
84:
59:
50:
45:
41:
36:
31:
26:
22:
1219:Fort William
1214:Fort Venango
1209:Fort Swatara
1204:Fort Shirley
1139:Fort Loudoun
1129:Light's Fort
1119:Fort Lebanon
1103:
1094:Fort Halifax
1079:Fort Deshler
1064:Fort Bedford
1059:Fort Augusta
890:Pennsylvania
847:
836:
827:
821:
812:
806:
795:
786:
780:
771:
765:
754:
743:
734:
704:
698:
689:
657:
648:
642:
634:
595:Fort Augusta
562:
530:
522:cuff buttons
485:
469:
454:
441:Fort Augusta
430:
406:
394:Lord Loudoun
391:
387:
358:
343:
332:Construction
296:Great Valley
289:
246:
245:
193:Captain Read
165:Battles/wars
144:Site history
1159:Fort McCord
1154:Fort Manada
1104:Fort Hunter
1069:Fort Bigham
892:during the
510:trade beads
482:Archaeology
362:block house
261:during the
247:Fort Hunter
157:In use
110: /
86:Coordinates
71:Fort Hunter
33:Fort Hunter
1271:Categories
1099:Fort Henry
1074:Fort Depuy
1054:Fort Allen
606:References
502:Delft bowl
493:Brown Bess
402:Manada Gap
229:Designated
186:commanders
98:76°54′43″W
95:40°20′46″N
1179:Fort Pitt
506:tinderbox
470:In 1796,
292:gristmill
255:gristmill
160:1755-1763
1045:Frontier
579:See also
374:bastions
366:stockade
320:stockade
208:Garrison
545:hearths
533:Archaic
514:caliber
491:from a
294:in the
273:History
518:pewter
497:midden
368:and a
42:(near
23:, see
1047:Forts
149:Built
1014:1758
993:1757
972:1756
931:1755
901:1754
535:and
489:lock
232:1947
184:Past
152:1755
123:Type
1273::
713:^
668:^
613:^
547:.
528:.
508:,
467:.
396:,
46:)
882:e
875:t
868:v
27:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
