Fort Machault

Fort Machault (1755-1759) - A French, French & Indian War fortification established in 1755 in present day Franklin, Venango County, Pennsylvania. Abandoned in 1759. Fort Machault Roadside Marker Fort Machault Site Marker Text Fort Machault Site Marker Locale French & Indian War (1754-1763) In 1753-54, the French sought to gain control of the Ohio River Valley by building forts along a route from Lake Erie to the forks of the Ohio. The forts were strategically placed along the water route from Lake Erie to the Ohio River beginning at Fort Presque Isle and the some 12 miles of overland portage to Fort le Boeuf. The route then goes down French Creek to Fort Machault where French Creek meets the Allegheny River and from there to Fort Duquesne (1) at the head of the Ohio River. When the French started this line of forts the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, Robert Dinwiddie, sent 21 year old George Washington all the way to Fort le Boeuf to demand the French leave. The French declined and the stage was set for the French & Indian War. The French completed the four forts and held the territory until the advance of British General John Forbes in November 1758 caused the French to abandon and destroy Fort Duquesne (1) and fall back along the line of remaining forts. In July 1759 the three remaining forts were destroyed and the French left. The British took over the abandoned and destroyed Fort Duquesne (1) and began building Mercer's Fort and Fort Pitt (1) over the ruins. The departure of the French forces in July 1759 allowed the British to occupy the three remaining French fort sites in 1760 and rebuild the destroyed fortifications. The British occupied all four of the fort sites until Pontiac's War in 1763. The hostile Indians manage to take and destroy all three of the upper forts in 1763 and they laid siege to Fort Pitt (1) but were unable to take it. Upper Ohio Valley Forts (1753-1814) (edit list) Name Location Established Abandoned Nationality Notes Fort Presque Isle (1) Erie, PA 1753 1759 French Fort Presque Isle (1) Erie, PA 1760 1763 British Fort Presque Isle (2) Erie, PA 1795 1814 American Fort le Boeuf Waterford, PA 1753 1759 French Fort le Boeuf Waterford, PA 1760 1763 British Fort le Boeuf Waterford, PA 1794 1814 American Fort Machault Franklin, PA 1755 1759 French Fort Venango Franklin, PA 1760 1763 British Fort Franklin (2) Franklin, PA 1787 1794 American Old Garrison Franklin, PA 1796 1799 American Fort Duquesne (1) Pittsburgh, PA 1754 1758 French Mercer's Fort Pittsburgh, PA 1758 1761 British Fort Pitt (1) Pittsburgh, PA 1761 1772 British Fort Pitt (1) Pittsburgh, PA 1772 1792 American Current Status Roadside marker and site marker in Franklin, Venango County, Pennsylvania Location: Franklin, Venango County, Pennsylvania. Fort map point is the location of the site marker. Maps & Images Lat: 41.38618 Long: -79.82162 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 990' Sources: Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 685-686 Links: North American Forts - Fort Machault Fort Locations Visited: 15 Aug 2012 Fort Machault Picture Gallery Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better!