Burned Stockade Post Fragment with Bi-Beveled End

Since the early 1800s, historians have pondered on the shape of George Washington's Fort Necessity. Since the French destroyed the stockade and supply cabin the day after the battle, only the breastworks remained, and these eroded over the years to low earthen mounds, and the exact shape of the fort was uncertain. Early interpretations of the fort resulted in a 1932 reconstruction of the fort as a square, and became the prime destination for visitors. Not all agreed in the square shape, and Jean Harrington, an archaeologist, thought further investigation was necessary. Finding a new primary account describing a circular stockade, Harrington was able to conduct a thorough archaeological excavation proving that the fort was triangular. His work stands as a watershed moment in historical archaeology and set the standard for future investigations. The stockade posts are silent witnesses to a dreadful beginning of George Washington's military career and a crowning achievement of a curious archaeologist.