Fort Cox, West Virginia facts for kids

Fort Cox, also known as Cox's Fort, was a small fort built during the French and Indian War. It was located in West Virginia, right where the Little Cacapon River meets the Potomac River. This fort was important for protecting the area.

Building the Fort

In the mid-1700s, people were settling in West Virginia. On April 4, 1765, a settler named Balzar Stoker received a large piece of land. This land was given to him by Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron. It was located along the Little Cacapon River.

Before this, Balzar Stoker had bought some land from John Cox. On these lands, near the river's mouth, was "Coxes Ferry." This ferry helped people cross the Potomac River into Maryland.

It was here that a relative of John Cox, named Friend Cox, built a stockade. A stockade is a fence made of strong wooden posts. This fort was built before 1750. Its main job was to protect the Potomac River and the Little Cacapon valley.

George Washington's Connection

Even George Washington knew about this area. On April 25, 1750, he surveyed some land for Friend Cox. Surveying means measuring and mapping out land. This land was also at the mouth of the Little Cacapon River.

Role in the French and Indian War

During the French and Indian War, Fort Cox became very useful. It helped General Edward Braddock and his soldiers travel. They used Cox's fort and the ferry. This helped them move from Winchester to Cumberland. The fort played a small but important part in the war.