Fort Boonesborough

Fort Boonesborough (1775-1820) - A palisaded colonial frontier post established in 1775 by Daniel Boone near the south bank of the Kentucky River in present day Madison County, Kentucky. Unsuccessfully attacked by hostile Indians in 1777 and 1778 during the Revolutionary War. Abandoned as a fortification about 1820. Also known as Daniel Boone's Fort and Fort Boone.

Fort Boonesborough History

Established on 1 Apr 1775 By Daniel Boone and a party of men under the sponsorship of Richard Henderson and the Transylvania Company to colonize much of present day Kentucky under the name of Transylvania.

The post began as a small stockade that was greatly expanded in 1776 to form a 250' by 150' fortification enclosing the entire community. The expanded fort included a strong palisade with blockhouses at the corners.

The fort was attacked by large numbers of hostile Indians and British sympathizers twice, once in April 1777 and once in September 1778. The attack in September 1778 started a nine day seige (9-17 September) during which the Indians tried repeadedly to breech the defenses but were unsuccessful. The attacking force numbered some 440 Indians and 12 whites against the settlers who numbered 30 men and 20 boys. The settlers lost 2 killed while the Indians lost 37 killed.

Other minor attacks and the occasional kidnapping of settlers kept the fort's occupants vigilant and inside the walls much of the time.

The fort was abandoned as a fortification about 1820. The site became the town of Boonesboro.

Current Status

Modern day replica of the second fort in Fort Boonesborough State Park, Madison County, Kentucky.

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USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 2567970

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Location: Fort Boonesborough State Park, Madison County, Kentucky. Maps & Images Lat: 37.8937200 Long: -84.2704 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 755'

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 305

Links:

• North American Forts - Fort Boonesborough
• Kentucky State Parks - Fort Boonesborough
• Fort Boonesborough Living History
• The Colony Of Transylvania - (North Carolina) Chief Justice Walter Clark, in The North Carolina Booklet III.9, Jan. 1904
• Wikipedia - Fort Boonesborough
• Kentucky.com - Tom Eblen

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