Fort Cox, West Virginia facts for kids

Fort Cox was an important fort built during the French and Indian War. It was also known as Cox's Fort. This fort was a strong wooden fence, called a stockade, located where the Little Cacapon River meets the Potomac River. This spot is near Little Cacapon, West Virginia in Hampshire County, West Virginia.

The Story of Fort Cox

Long ago, in 1765, a settler named Balzar Stoker received a large piece of land, about 232 acres (0.94 square kilometers), from Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron. This land was right along the Little Cacapon River and where it flowed into the Potomac. Before this, Stoker had also bought a smaller piece of land, about 30 acres (120,000 square meters), from a man named John Cox.

Why Fort Cox Was Built

On these lands, at the mouth of the Little Cacapon River, there was a place called "Coxes Ferry." This ferry helped people cross the Potomac River into Maryland. A relative of John Cox, named Friend Cox, built a strong wooden fort, or stockade, at this ferry crossing. Fort Cox was built before 1750. Its main job was to protect the people and lands along both the Potomac River and the Little Cacapon valley.

George Washington's Connection

Even George Washington, who would later become the first president of the United States, was involved with this area. He surveyed, or carefully measured, a piece of land for Friend Cox at the Little Cacapon's mouth on April 25, 1750. This land was about 240 acres (0.97 square kilometers).

Fort Cox During the French and Indian War

During the French and Indian War, Fort Cox and its ferry became very useful. General Edward Braddock and his soldiers used them for transportation. They traveled from Winchester, Virginia to Cumberland, Maryland as part of their military journey. The fort helped keep them safe and allowed them to cross the river easily.