Fort Christanna, Colonial fort with Native American school in Brunswick County, Virginia.
Fort Christanna is an archaeological site in Brunswick County, Virginia, preserving the remains of a colonial military outpost built in a five-sided shape with blockhouses at each corner. The site also contained a trading post and a school for Native American children, making it more than a simple military structure.
Governor Alexander Spotswood had the fort built in 1714 as a response to tensions along the Virginia frontier and as a base for diplomacy with nearby tribes. It operated for only a few years before the Virginia Indian Company lost its license and the fort was abandoned in the early 1720s.
The name Christanna is thought to combine the words Christ and Anna, the latter being the name of the reigning British queen at the time of construction. This detail is still discussed by locals and researchers who visit the site today.
The site is in a rural part of Brunswick County, so reaching it by car is the most practical option, and signage in the area can be limited. It is worth contacting the local tourism office before visiting to confirm access, since parts of the site may require a guided tour.
The Saponi people who settled near the fort did so partly for protection from rival tribes, not only because of colonial pressure, making the relationship between the fort and its neighbors more layered than it might seem. Archaeological digs have turned up writing tools and book fragments that confirm children were genuinely taught to read and write on this spot.
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