Western North Carolina

Last Update: 08/JUNE/2010

Compiled by Pete Payette - Š2010 American Forts Network

Camp Chronicle
(1917 - 1919), Gastonia
An Army field artillery training camp supporting a firing range at the base of Crowder's Mountain to the west. Camp site located on the west-side of South Linwood Street.

Colonel Graham's Fort
(1780), near Grover
The fortified home of Col. Graham, located on Buffalo Creek northwest of town. It was raided by Tories in August 1780.

Camp at Ramsour's Mill
(1780), near Lincolnton
A Loyalist/Tory encampment of 1,300 troops under Lt. Col. John Moore. Attacked by Patriots in June 1780. Exhibits at the Lincoln County Museum of History at 403 East Main Street.

Fort Dobbs (1) (State Historic Site)
(1755 - 1764, 1770's), Statesville
It was the only NC colonial militia fort on the frontier during the French and Indian War. It was 53-by-40 feet square with two three-story 24-by-22 square foot blockhouses. Daniel Boone served here with Major Hugh Waddell's Rangers. Attacked by Cherokees in 1760. The fort was later abandoned. The site was used on occasion by the NC state militia during the American Revolution. Located north of town on Fourth Creek.

Thomas Young's Fort
(1778), near Houstonville
A settlers' two-story log fort located about two miles north of town on Hunting Creek. Also used as a Patriot supply depot for the area.

Fort Hamby
(1865), near Wilkesboro
A two-story log blockhouse. This was a fortified stronghold for criminals and Union deserters. Citizens captured it by force in May 1865. The site is now under the waters of the W. Kerr Scott Reservoir at Lewis Fork Creek.

Owens' Fort
(1756 or 1757 ?), Wilkes County ?
A stockaded compound under a cliff overhang, located somewhere in the Upper Yadkin River Valley. The outlaw Owens' Gang operated from here, pillaging outlying settler homes and travelers. A posse of settlers and Rangers came through Boone Gap via Fort Dobbs (1) to arrest the gang.

Deep Gap Fort
(1865), near Deep Gap
A palisaded Union fort built during Union General Stoneman's Raid (March 1865), once located on what is now the Blue Ridge Parkway. A marker is located on US 421. Troops were also posted at Watauga Gap, State Gap, and Sampson Gap.

Camp Watauga
(1863 - 1865), Watauga County
A CSA camp. Undetermined location, possibly Watauga Gap (?)

Blowing Rock Fort
(1865), Blowing Rock
A Union palisaded fort built after General Stoneman's Raid (March 1865) to guard the pass.

Fort Rollins
(1865), Blowing Rock
A palisaded CSA fort built after Union General Stoneman's Raid (April 1865).
(NOTE: this may be the same as Blowing Rock Fort above.)

Boone Court House Fort
(1865), Boone
The county court house was occupied and fortified by Union troops during General Stoneman's Raid (March 1865).

Camp Mast
(1863 - 1865), Sugar Grove
A CSA training camp. Captured by the Union in March 1865.

Fort Defiance (1)
(1776 - 1780), Yadkin Valley
A NC state militia fort used against the Cherokee. General William Lenoir's home was built beginning in 1788 on the site of the former frontier fort and took its name.

Camp Vance (4)
(1861 - 1864), near Drexel
A CSA training camp that was raided by the Union in June 1864. Marker located on Sequoia Circle, now a residential area just west of town on US 70, although the actual site may be located just east at Settlemyre and Zion Roads.
(thanks to Dan Frezza for providing location)

Fort San Juan de Xuala
(1567 - 1568), near Morganton
A Spanish blockhouse built by the Juan Pardo Expedition at an Indian village also known as Juada (or Joada or Joara), located near the headwaters of the Catawba River. About 30 men were left here for the winter in January 1567. Pardo returned in September 1567, but the garrison had moved to the village of Chiaha in Tennessee. On their way back to the coast in November or December 1567, another group of 15 - 30 men were left here, but they probably did not survive the winter. Hernando DeSoto visited Xuala in May 1540. Probable site was excavated in 2004, about five miles north of town. Exhibits are at the History Museum of Burke County in Morganton.

McDowell's Station
(1770's), Morganton
A settlers' station located on the Catawba River at the "Quaker Meadows". A skirmish occurred here in July 1776.

William Cathey's Fort
(1776 - 1782), near Woodlawn
A settlers' fort located in Turkey Cove on Armstrong Creek, used by the NC state militia against the Cherokee. Later known as William Wofford's Fort from 1782 to 1791.

Samuel Davidson's Fort
(1770 - 1776), Old Fort
Originally a fortified settlers' house until Davidson was killed in 1774. Located on Mill Creek. The NC state militia later used the fort against the Cherokee in 1776, then also known as Fort Rutherford and Upper Fort. A reconstruction of the fort is planned at a site in town.

Pott's Fort ? ?
(1760's ?, 1770's ?), McDowell County
A settlers' fort located at "Montford Cove" (undetermined location).

Camp at Gilbert Town
(1780), near Mount Vernon
A major Loyalist/Tory stronghold before the Battle of King's Mountain (October 1780), established by Major Patrick "Bull Dog" Ferguson. The old townsite was located on the west side of the Second Broad River.

McGaughey's Fort
(1765 - 1780's), near Mount Vernon
A settlers' fort located on Cathy's Creek near Gilbert Town.

McFadden's Fort
(1760's - 1770's), near Rutherfordton
A settlers' fort located on Mountain Creek west of town. Still in use in 1776.

Camp Irwin
(1863), Rutherfordton
A CSA camp.

Civil War Defenses of Asheville
(1861 - 1865), Asheville
CSA camps located here included:
Camp Clingman (1) (1861), located on French Broad Ave. near Philip Street.
Camp Jeter, located at Cherry and Flint Streets.
Camp Patton (1861), located on Chestnut Street, east of Charlotte Street.
Camp Vance (1) (1861), located near Sulpher Springs (location ?).
Camp Winslow (3)
Camp Woodfin

Battery Porter, located on Battery Park Hill.
Traces of CSA earthwork gun emplacements (1865) remain on the grounds of UNC-Asheville Botanical Gardens.

French Broad River Forts
(1793), Madison County
The NC state militia built or used several forts during a campaign against the Cherokee and Creek Indians in 1793.
Burnt Canebrake Blockhouse near Hot Springs.
Painted Rock Blockhouse at Paint Rock.
Hough's Blockhouse a settlers' fort (undetermined location).
Warm Springs Blockhouse at Hot Springs.

Cooweechee Blockhouse
(1567 - 1568), near Marshall ?
A Spanish blockhouse built by the Juan Pardo Expedition on the French Broad River (near Ivy Creek ?) at an Indian village known as Cooweechee or Cauchi. About 15 - 30 men were left here in November or December 1567, but they probably did not survive the winter.

Camp Huntington
(1836), Swain County ?
An Army post in the Cherokee Nation. Undetermined location. Possibly Murphy ?

Fort Lindsay
(1838), Almond
An Army fort used for the Cherokee Removals.

Fort Scott
(1838), Aquone
An Army fort used for the Cherokee Removals.

Fort Hembree
(Cherokee Removal Forts)
(1837 - 1838), Hayesville
One of many Army forts (most are in Georgia) that were gathering places for the removal of the Cherokee Nation. Located on Fort Hill one mile southwest of town along Blair Creek. Site is private property. Roadside exhibit on US 64 at Fort Hembree Road. History and exhibits at the Clay County Historical and Arts Council Museum at 21 Davis Loop.

Fort Montgomery
(1838), Robbinsville
An Army fort used for the Cherokee Removals.

Fort Delaney
(1838), Andrews
An Army fort used for the Cherokee Removals.

Fort Butler
(Cherokee Removal Forts)
(1837 - 1838), Murphy
The headquarters post of the Army's Eastern Division during the Cherokee Removals. Site located at Cherokee and Fifth Streets, near Riverside Drive. History and exhibits at the Cherokee County Historical Museum (admission fee) at 87 Peachtree Street.

NEED MORE INFO: Eaton's Station (1776) (location ?); Camp Joe Harris Road in Wilkesboro.
Towns:

South Coastal North Carolina - page 1 | Central Coastal North Carolina - page 2
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