Fort Juniata Crossing facts for kids

Fort Juniata Crossing, also called Fort Juniata, was a British fort. It was built during the French and Indian War. This fort was located along the Forbes Road in Pennsylvania. It stood near a special river crossing called a ford. This ford was on the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River. The fort was about 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) west of where Breezewood, Pennsylvania is today.

Fort Juniata Crossing

Why Was It Built?

The fort was built in the summer of 1758. It was one of many forts along a supply route. This route went west from Carlisle, a British army base. General Forbes and his army were moving west. Their goal was to reach the French fort called Fort Duquesne.

Fort Juniata Crossing was important because of its location. It was about halfway between Fort Littleton to the east and Fort Bedford to the west. It protected a vital river crossing over the Juniata River. This was the only major river crossing on the road between Carlisle and Fort Duquesne. This made the spot very important for the British.

What Did It Look Like?

Fort Juniata Crossing was smaller than bigger forts like Fort Bedford and Fort Ligonier. It had fewer soldiers. The fort included fortified storage buildings on both sides of the river. The main part was a stockade on the west side of the river. A stockade is a fence made of strong logs. This stockade was shaped like a star with five points. It covered an area of about 1.7 acres (6,900 square meters).

A General's Thoughts

Colonel Henry Bouquet helped General Forbes lead the campaign. He chose the spot for the fort. He wrote about the challenges of building the road and crossing the river:

"The Road from Littleton to Seydeling Hill is good. But the Juniata still has 4 1/2 feet of water. We can ford it in a few days. But as a precaution, we will build a bridge. The farther I go from the settlements, the more I see. This expedition, which seems so easy, is full of almost impossible difficulties."

What Happened After the War?

After the war, the British army did not use the fort much. It quickly started to fall apart. In 1763, Fort Juniata Crossing was left empty. Another nearby fort, Stony Creek, was also abandoned. The soldiers and supplies were moved to Fort Bedford.

However, the road itself was still used. Army supply wagons traveled on it to the new Fort Pitt. Later, settlers moving west used the road too. A proper bridge was eventually built at the river crossing. This bridge helped travelers on the road. By 1790, the main road moved to a new location. This new spot was near where Route 30 is today. The old bridge and road then fell out of use. But the stone parts of the old bridge can still be seen. In 1952, Pennsylvania put up a historical marker. It is along Route 30, about 0.8 kilometers (0.5 miles) south of where the fort was.

Fort Martin: A Later Fort

During the American Revolution, a new stockade was built. It was named Fort Martin. This happened in the late 1770s. The exact spot of Fort Martin is not known today. But it was described as being near the "chain bridge." This was at the site of the old Fort Juniata Crossing.

Fort Martin was a small blockhouse. Local people built it. It was a safe place for settlers. They could go there if Native American war parties attacked. After the Revolutionary War ended, the danger of raids was over. So, Fort Martin was also no longer used.