Fort Willett
1781
4 miles northwest of Fort Plain
(south side of the Mohawk River)
Canajoharie District blockhouse and fort built in 1781 to replace Fort Walrath destroyed in the 1780 raids. Many Dutchtown families lived within the walls from 1781-1783. It was named after Colonel Marinus Willett.
|
|
Excerpt From:
"The Story of Old Fort Plain and the Middle Mohawk Valley" by Nelson Greene
Fort Willett was a palisaded inclosure on the highest ground in the Dutchtown section and was situated over four miles from Fort Plain on land now owned by William Zimmerman. This stockade was completed in the spring of 1781 and had ample room for huts for all the adjacent families. It had the blockhouse corners and an alarm gun. As it was isolated from any dwelling, it had a good sized oven, the ruins of which remained for many years. The timber for its pickets was cut on adjoining farms and was drawn together by the owners of them. Like other palisades, the pickets were the trunks of straight trees of different kinds, of about a foot thickness through the butt, and cut long enough to be sunk three or four feet in the ground and to rise above it about a dozen or more. On the completion of this defense. Col. Willett rode out with a squad of his men from Fort Plain to see it. He was much pleased with the condition of things and said "You have a nice little fort here; what do you call it?" "It has no name yet; won't you give it one?" was the answer. Col. Willett replied, "Well, this is one of the nicest little forts on the frontier, and you may call it after me, if you please." A cheer went up at this, so the name of Willett became connected with the town in which he lived and fought for several years. The old south shore turnpike running through the Greenbush section of Fort Plain village is named Willett street after this very capable Revolutionary commander. At the end of the war each family who had contributed pickets for the building- of Fort Willett drew home their share and the fortification was demolished in the same manner as the many others when their use for purposes of defense had ceased.
|
|