Fort Durkee

Fort Durkee (1769-1771, 1779) - A log blockhouse established in 1769 by Connecticut settlers under John Durkee in Wikles-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Named for John Durkee, commander of Fort Durkee, French & Indian War veteran and one of the Susquehanna company's Connecticut settlers. Captured and destroyed in 1771, briefly reoccupied in 1779. Fort Durkee State Marker Fort Durkee Site Marker Susquehanna River at the Fort Durkee Site Pennamite War (1769-1799) Fort Durkee was established by the Susquehanna company's Connecticut settlers in the spring and summer of 1769. The Connecticut settlers were challenged in January 1771 when the Pennsylvania authorities built Fort Wyoming just 1,000 feet away. The construction of Fort Durkee precipitated the Pennamite War and led to the capture and destruction of Fort Durkee by the Pennamites in 1771. Revolutionary War (1775-1783) During the Revolutionary War, General John Sullivan briefly occupied the abandoned fort site in his expedition against the British and their Iroquois Indian allies in June 1779. Current Status Fort Durkee Site Marker Text A marker stone is located at the intersection of West River Street and West Ross Street in Wikles-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The marker stone indicated that the fort was 82 feet southwest of the stone. A more generic state marker is located along river street. No remains of the fort. {"selectable":false,"height":"-500","width":"-500"} Location: Wikles-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Fort marker is approximate. Maps & Images Lat: 41.24492 Long: -75.89 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: .....' 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 680 Links: North American Forts - Fort Durkee Historic Marker Database - Fort Durkee Explore PA History - Fort Durkee Visited: 29 Apr 2012 Fort Durkee Picture Gallery Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better!