Central Pennsylvania

Last Update: 23/FEBRUARY/2008

Compiled by Pete Payette - Š2008 American Forts Network

Fort Halifax
(1756 - 1757), Halifax
Built by the Pennsylvania colonial militia as a subpost of Fort Augusta, near the home of Robert Armstrong. It was a 160-feet square log stockade with four bastions. A stone monument (1926) is located on PA 147 north of town on Armstrong's Creek. Camp at Armstrong's was first established when the troops arrived, before the fort was constructed.

Capt. Thomas McKee's Fort (1)
(1755 - unknown), near Dalmatia
A settlers' stockaded home. Also known as McKee's Upper Fort.

Locke House
(1754 - 1755), Sunbury
A fortified (?) trading post and Provincial Indian agency built by Conrad Weiser at Shamokin.

Fort Augusta
(1756 - 1765, 1777 - 1782), Sunbury
Built by the Pennsylvania colonial militia. Also known as Shamokin Fort, named after the Delaware Indian village (1727 - 1756) that was abandoned after the Penn's Creek Massacre in 1755. A log fort about 200-feet square, with a dry moat and bastions in each corner, armed with 12 guns. An outer stockade with four blockhouses further protected the fort. There were Officers' quarters and barracks. The powder magazine has been restored, and the well still exists. Two old cannon also still exist, on display in the museum. A Provincial trading post (store) for the Indian trade was established here in 1758, closed in 1763. This was the only remaining Provincial fort continually maintained after 1761. It was not attacked during Pontiac's uprising in 1763. Later served as an outpost for early west-bound pioneers, and was a base of operations for Patriot forces during the American Revolution. The Officers' quarters burned down in 1848, and the current Hunter House was built on the site in 1852. Became state property in 1930, and is administered by the Northumberland County Historical Society at 1150 North Front Street.

Bosley's Fort
(1777 - 1779), Washingtonville
A settlers' stockaded blockhouse and gristmill (built 1773). Garrisoned by state troops (20 men) in 1779.

James McClure's Fort
(1781 - unknown), Bloomsburg
A settlers' fortified home located on the Susquehanna River about one mile above the mouth of Fishing Creek.

Fort Wheeler
(1778 - 1783 ?), Paper Mill
A PA state militia stockaded fort on Fishing Creek, built on the land of Isaac (Isaiah) Wheeler. Attacked by the British while still under construction. Stone monument marks the site.

Fort Jenkins (2)
(1778 - 1780), Lime Ridge
A PA state militia 60-by-80-foot stockaded fort, built on the land of a Mr. Jenkins. Garrisoned by Continental troops after 1779. Abandoned and then burned by Indians.

Capt. Hawkins Boone's Fort
(1777 - 1779), Milton
Located about one mile above town near the mouth of Muddy Run. A settlers' stockaded gristmill. Hawkins Boone, despite popular myth, was not related to Daniel Boone (maybe a very distant cousin at best). The fort was destroyed in the attack on Fort Freeland. Boone was also killed in the same attack.
(additional info provided by Larry DeFrance)

Fort Swartz
(1778 - 1780), Milton
A Patriot blockhouse located about one mile above town. Also spelled Schwartz. Garrisoned by the Patriot "German Battalion".

Fort Rice (1)
(1779 - 1782), McEwensville
A stockade built by Patriot forces around the recently abandoned and burned home (1771) of John Montgomery. Attacked by Indians in September 1780. Possibly also known as Fort Bunner. Montgomery returned to claim the land after the war, and the fort became known as Montgomery's Fort.

Fort Freeland
(1778 - 1779), Warrior Run
A settlers' (Jacob Freeland) stockaded two-story home and mill, located west of Turbotville. Taken by the British and Indians in July 1779 in which 108 settlers were captured and killed. The survivors fled to Fort Augusta. A monument was dedicated in 1996. The Hower-Slote House was built on the site in 1829.
Also of interest here is the Warrior Run-Fort Freeland Heritage Society.
(Fort Freeland website courtesy of Larry DeFrance)

Meminger's Fort
(1778 - 1779), White Deer
A settlers' fort. Also spelled Menninger. Indians burned the abandoned fort in July 1779. State troops were later garrisoned here at a nearby stone house or gristmill, owned by a Mrs. Smith, until 1780.

Spring Garden Fort
(1774), Spring Garden
An unnamed settlers' fort.

Fort Muncy
(1778 - 1783), Muncy
A former settlers' house that was converted by state troops into a stockaded barracks and magazine. Destroyed by the British, and rebuilt again in the same year. Destroyed again by the British and Indians in 1779, but not rebuilt again until 1782. Site actually located three and one-half miles from town.

Capt. John Brady's Fort
(1777 - 1778), Muncy
A settlers' stockade located at the mouth of Muncy Creek. Overrun by Indians, the settlers fled in what was called the "Big Runaway" (May 1778). Brady was killed in April 1779.

Wallis' Fort
(1778 - 1779), Muncy
A settlers' fort.

Harris' Fort (2)
(1770's), Montoursville
A settlers' fort at the mouth of Loyalsock Creek.

John Antes' Fort
(1776 - 1778, 1780 ? - 1784), Antes Fort
A settlers' stockaded house, originally built in 1773. Used as a local refuge, and also by the Pennsylvania militia, it was evacuated by the settlers after the "Wyoming Valley Massacre". It was rebuilt afterwards, and dismantled after 1784.

Samuel Horn's Fort
(1777 - 1778), Pine
A settlers' fortified home (built 1776), it was evacuated by the settlers after the "Wyoming Valley Massacre".

William Reed's Fort
(1777 - 1778), Lock Haven
A settlers' fortified home (built 1775) evacuated during the "Big Runaway" of May 1778. Located on Water Street east of the canal.

Pomfret Castle
(1756), Richfield ?
A Pennsylvania colonial militia fort that was planned and laid out in trace, but never actually built. Shown on a 1756 map. Site was abandoned after the fall of Fort Granville. Located on Mahantango Creek, although the actual site has never been determined. Some sources name it Fort Pomfret Castle.

Hendricks' Blockhouse (a)
(1763 - 1780's), Middle Creek Township, Snyder County
A settlers' blockhouse. Used through the 1780's. Still stood until sometime after the Civil War.

Capt. James Patterson's Fort
(1755 - 1756), Mexico
A settlers' stockaded fort. Attacked by Indians in October 1755. Used by the Pennsylvania colonial militia in 1756 and renamed Fort George. The garrison here had originally been slated for duty at Pomfret Castle, but that post was never built. Attacked again by Indians in 1756. Abandoned after the fall of Fort Granville. A stone monument (1920) is located on Route 3002 (old US 322) on the east-side of town.

Capt. William Patterson's Fort
(1763), near Mexico
A blockhouse built during Pontiac's War, opposite the river from James Patterson's Fort. It was never attacked. The blockhouse stood for many years afterwards. William was the son of James.

Stewart's Fort (1)
(1756), Spruce Hill Township, Juniata County
A settlers' fort located on the south bank of Tuscarora Creek, shown on a 1756 map.

Capt. Samuel Bigham's Fort
(1756, 1760 - 1763), Tuscarora Township, Juniata County
A settlers' stockaded blockhouse (1749). Also known as Fort at Tuscarora. Used by the Pennsylvania colonial militia. Attacked by Indians and destroyed, killing most of the garrison. Later rebuilt by traders under Ralph Sterrett and renamed Fort Bingham (sic), but destroyed again. A stone monument (1934) is located at the junction of PA 75 and Route 3006, near Bunker Hill.

Fort Granville
(1755 - 1756), Lewistown
A 50-foot square log stockade with four bastions and barracks, built by the Pennsylvania colonial militia on the land of James Turner. Attacked and destroyed by French and Indian forces in July 1756. Site located about one and one-half miles southwest of town on the north bank of the Juniata River. A stone monument (1916) is located on US 522 next to the PennDOT building.

Stover's Fort
(1770's - unknown), near Aaronsburg
A settlers' fort. Sometimes called Lower Fort in Penn's Valley.
(info courtesy of Phil Stover)

Col. James Potter's Blockhouse
(1777 - unknown), Old Fort
A settlers' stockaded blockhouse. Sometimes called Old Fort in Penn's Valley or Upper Fort in Penn's Valley. Used by the PA state militia in 1778.

Capt. William McAlevy's Blockhouse
(1778 - unknown), McAlevy's Fort
A settlers' blockhouse on Standing Stone Creek.

Robert McCormick's Fort
(1778 - 1780's), Stone Valley, Huntingdon County
A settlers' fort, probably located near present-day Neffs Mills. Indians attacked nearby in 1782. After the war the fort was demolished and the timbers were used for a barn.

Crum's Blockhouse
(1779 - unknown), near Saulsburg
A settlers' blockhouse.

Ricket's Blockhouse
(1776 - unknown), Warriors Mark
A settlers' fort.

Fort Roberdeau
(1778 - 1780), Fort Roberdeau
A Pennsylvania state militia fort built to protect nearby lead mines from Indians and Tories. Also known as the Lead Mine Fort. It was a four-bastioned palisaded log fort, armed with two guns. It had an Officers' quarters, barracks, underground powder magazine, kitchen, blacksmith shop, and lead smelter. The mines were soon exhausted, but the fort continued to serve as a defense for area settlers. The stockade and cabins were reconstructed in 1976, as well as a working lead smelter. The visitor center and museum are in an 1858 barn. Admission fee.

Jacob Roller's Blockhouse
(1777 - unknown), near Sickles Corner
A settlers' blockhouse.

Lowrey's Blockhouse
(1778 - unknown), near Mt. Etna
A settlers' blockhouse once located in the Canoe Valley. Built by either James, Daniel, or Alexander Lowrey, all brothers. The "Dean Family Massacre" (1779 or 1780) took place about one mile east in present-day Morris Township.

Samuel Anderson's Blockhouse
(1778), near Petersburg
A settlers' blockhouse. Abandoned for Fort Standing Stone.

Lytle's Blockhouse
(1777), near Alexandria
A settlers' blockhouse located south of town towards Neff.

Fort Standing Stone
(1762 - 1780's), Huntingdon
A settlers' stockade. It was partially dismantled after Pontiac's War. Rebuilt on a larger scale by the Pennsylvania state militia in 1777. Still in use in 1782. The fort stood for several years after the war. Site located at Standing Stone Creek at the Juniata River. The town was once known as Stone Town.

Hartsog's Fort
(1778 - unknown), near Marklesburg
A settlers' fort. The actual site may be submerged under Raystown Lake.

William Holliday's Fort
(1777 - unknown), Hollidaysburg
A settlers' fort, originally a stable located on the property of Peter Titus. Briefly abandoned in 1779 due to Indian raids. The town was originally named Frankstown in the 1750's.

Fetter's Fort
(1777 - unknown), Duncansville
A settlers' fort.

NEED MORE INFO: Fort Stanwix in Lycoming County (?)
Towns:

Special thanks to Jim Geisler for providing information on early settlement forts and blockhouses.

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