Fort Dayton, Military fort in Herkimer, United States
Fort Dayton was a military fort situated on the north bank of the Mohawk River at West Canada Creek with wooden and earthen defensive structures. The fortification enclosed a stone church and served as a protective stronghold for the surrounding communities.
The fort was reconstructed in 1776 under Colonel Elias Dayton's supervision following orders from General Philip Schuyler during the American Revolution. It stood for more than five decades before being demolished in the early 1800s.
The fort served as a gathering place for local militia made up of Palatine German settlers living along the Mohawk Valley. Today the memorial marks where these communities came together during a critical period in the region's development.
A memorial marker at the Historic Four Corners intersection on North Main Street in Herkimer marks where the original fort once stood. The location is easy to find and accessible in the heart of town for anyone interested in the local past.
General George Washington paid a visit to the fort in July 1783 to conduct an inspection tour, marking one of the final military visits before it was dismantled years later. This moment captures the end of an important era for the structure and the region.
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