Fort Adair facts for kids
Fort Adair was a special kind of fort called a stockade. It was like a strong wooden fence built to protect people. This fort helped early settlers moving west by giving them supplies. It was built around 1788 or 1791 in a place called Grassy Valley. This area is in the Appalachian mountains in East Tennessee. Having a supply station here made more people want to settle nearby. A town grew up around Fort Adair, first called Fountain Head, then Fountain City. Today, Fountain City is a neighborhood in northern Knoxville, Tennessee.
The Story of Fort Adair
Captain John Adair, who was from Ireland, built Fort Adair. He built it either in 1788 or around 1791. The fort was meant to give supplies to people traveling west. It also protected them from the Cherokee during conflicts. Having this supply stop made more European settlers come to the area. This helped a settlement grow around the fort. Nearby springs gave them a steady source of fresh water.
Fort Adair was a supply station for the Cumberland Guard. This group was a militia that protected settlers going to the Cumberland settlements. These settlements later became the city of Nashville. Fort Adair also supplied the town of Nashborough, which is now modern Nashville.
The community we know today as Fountain City started to grow around Fort Adair. This happened soon after the fort was finished. The settlement was first called Grassy Valley. Then it was renamed Fountain Head. Later, it became Fountain City. This was to avoid confusion with another settlement that had the same name. Since 1962, Fountain City has been a neighborhood of northern Knoxville, Tennessee.
Where Was Fort Adair?
Fort Adair was located in the Appalachian Ridge-and-Valley region of East Tennessee. This area has long, narrow ridges that run from northeast to southwest. We don't know the exact spot where the supply depot was. But research suggests it might have been near the modern Lynnhurst Cemetery. This is close to where Adair Creek and First Creek meet. Captain Adair and his wife are buried at the top of a hill in the northeast part of the cemetery.
A historical marker was put up by the Tennessee Historical Commission. There is also a monument placed by the Daughters of the American Revolution. These are located on U.S. Route 441. You can find them at the corner of Broadway and Sanders Drive in Knox County. The exact coordinates are 36°01′34″N 83°55′38″W / 36.0260°N 83.9271°W.
