Fort Hawkins was a fort built between 1806 and 1810 by the United States Army during President Thomas Jefferson's administration. Built in what is now Georgia on the Fall Line on the east side of the Ocmulgee River, the fort overlooked the Ocmulgee Old Fields. The Lower Creek Trading Path passed by just outside the fort's northwestern blockhouse, and continued in a westerly direction to a natural ford on the Ocmulgee River. The fort became important to the Lower Creek Indians, the United States, and the State of Georgia for economic, military, and political reasons.

The fort originally had a log palisade wall surrounding a 1.4-acre area, which contained living and working quarters for soldiers and officers, as well as two blockhouses on the northwestern and southeastern corners. A replica of the southeastern blockhouse was begun in 1928 based on architectural plans by Curran Ellis and Henry Behr, but not completed until 1938. A small archaeological excavation was conducted in 1936. The Fort Hawkins Archeological Site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is included within the boundaries of the Fort Hill Historic District, also listed on the NRHP.

The Fort Hawkins Commission ran the site from 1990-2018. Under the guidance of Chairman Bob Cramer, the commission hired the Lamar Institute to conduct archaeological excavations in 2005. These excavations continued intermittently until 2013, and found evidence of a second palisade wall, as well as several brick buildings, and recovered nearly 40,000 artifacts. Historical research by Dan Elliott has also added greatly to the current understanding of the fort. A replica log cabin was dedicated in 2014 to serve as a Visitors' Center. The commission was replaced by the non-profit Fort Hawkins Foundation, Inc. in 2018, and this organization has run the site ever since.

History

Fort Hawkins was built by the United States in 1806, and was a place of "relatively great economic, military, and political importance."

The US government used the fort as the Southeastern Command of the U.S. Army. It was "a major troop garrison and bivouac point for regular troops and state militia in several important campaigns, and a major government fur trade factory for regulating the Creek economy."

Fort Hawkins was used during the U.S. military campaigns of the War of 1812 against Great Britain. General Andrew Jackson visited the Fort and used it as a staging area for the Battle of New Orleans from 1814-15, as well as during the Creek and Seminole wars. After the frontier moved farther west, the military threat to interior Georgia essentially receded. Through the treaties of 1825 and 1826, the Creek were forced to move west of the Chattahoochee River. The excavation revealed numerous ceramic artifacts, including remnants of English-American style dishes used by residents, dated from c.1779 – c.1834.

thumb|365x365px|Fort Hawkins c. 1876

From 2005 to 2007, the Fort Hawkins Commission, with funding from the Peyton Anderson Foundation and the City of Macon, hired the Lamar Institute to conduct extensive excavations of the fort site. Principal Archaeologist Dan Elliott's work revealed evidence of two palisade walls having been constructed there. The second palisade enclosed several brick buildings, making it a more substantial complex than originally thought by the limited historical descriptions. In 2007, additional palisades were found. Related historical research has indicated that these were probably constructed from 1809–1810 by the U.S. Army's Regiment of Rifles.

The nearly 40,000 artifacts recovered from the fort era (1806–1821), provide insight into the lives of the different groups of people interacting with one another on the American frontier. Limited excavations in May 2012 focused on discovering remnants of the northwestern blockhouse. Indirect evidence of the blockhouse is indicated by the abrupt termination of the western palisade wall (circa 1806) at its northern end. All outward indications of the blockhouse have been lost to erosion and grading.

Today, the Fort Hawkins Foundation, Inc. operates the Fort Hawkins site, and is currently making plans for the reconstruction of the entire fort complex as a site where the public may immerse themselves in the history and archaeology of Fort Hawkins, the Woolfolk Plantation, and Fort Hawkins School - all of which have been situated on the property at different times.

Fort Hawkins also hosts the Ocmulgee Archaeological Society, which holds its monthly meetings at the Visitors' Center at 6:30 pm on the first Monday of each month (excluding holidays). This archaeological non-profit specializes in public archaeology, and has hosted Fort Hawkins Archaeology Day each May since 2004 on the grounds of this important historic archaeological site

Recognition

  • 1977, Fort Hawkins Archeological Site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places(NRHP).
  • 1993, Fort Hawkins is included in the Fort Hill Historic District, listed on the NRHP.
  • 2002, a State Highway Marker was erected at the fort.
  • 2007, Fort Hawkins was featured in Georgia's Archaeology Month program, capped by a weekend celebration at the fort.

Images

<gallery>

Image:19-02-059-hawkins.jpg|entrance sign

Image:15 28 001 hawkins.jpg|upper level of fort blockhouse

Image:15 28 031 hawkins.jpg|middle level of fort blockhouse

Image:15 28 051 hawkins.jpg|bust of Benjamin Hawkins

Image:15 28 028 hawkins.jpg|spinning wheel

</gallery>

References

  • Daniel T. Elliott, Fort Hawkins: 2005-2007 Field Seasons, The LAMAR Institute, Report 124, 260 pages, full pdf file
  • "Fort Hawkins Archeological Project", Archaeological Institute of America
  • Fort Hawkins historical marker
  • "Ocmulgee Archaeological Society"