Contact:  Margaret Hambrick  /  Nora Venezky  304-646-2439          304-645-3398

NEWS RELEASE July 9, 2020

Founded    in    1963,    the    Greenbrier    Historical    Society    is    dedicated    to    community    enrichment    through education   and   preservation   of   the   history   and   culture   of   the   Greenbrier   Valley.   The   Greenbrier   Historical Society   is   a   regional   organization   that   serves   the   West   Virginia   counties   of   Greenbrier,   Monroe,   Summers, and Pocahontas.

Archaeological Discovery Close To The Blue Alderson,    West    Virginia    The    Archaeological    Conservancy,    the    West    Virginia    Land    Trust,    and    the Greenbrier   Historical   Society   are   excited   to   announce   the   launch   of   a   crowdfunding   campaign   for   the acquisition   of   the   Arbuckle’s   Fort   archaeological   site   located   in   Greenbrier   County,   West   Virginia.   This project   is   an   opportunity   to   preserve   a   site   dating   to   the   Revolutionary   War   and   early   settlement   period   in the   state,   as   well   as   protect   the   important   natural   resources   located   on   the   property.   These   resources   will be available for educational and tourism activities.

Arbuckle’s   Fort   was   part   of   a   chain   of   forts   established   to   defend   settlers   moving   into   the   Colonial   United States’   western   frontier.   It   was   constructed   in   1774   in   reaction   to   raids   from   Native   Americans   in   the western   part   of   Virginia,   now   West   Virginia,   brought   about   by   increasing   European   settlement.   The   fort was   built   above   the   confluence   of   Muddy   and   Mill   Creeks   and   was   first   occupied   by   Captain   Matthew Arbuckle’s   militia   company,   who   remained   until   the   fall   of   1774   when   they   left   to   guide   Colonel   Andrew Lewis   to   Point   Pleasant   as   part   of   a   campaign   during   Dunmore’s   War.   The   fort   was   reoccupied   at   least by   the   fall   of   1776   during   the   American   Revolution.   As   groups   of   Native   Americans   increasingly   sided with   the   British,   the   fort   was   strengthened   as   a   defense   along   the   Allegheny   Frontier.   The   fort   was attacked twice but held. No   description   of   the   fort   has   ever   been   found,   but   excavations   conducted   by   archaeologists   Kim   and Stephen   McBride   have   helped   reveal   the   history   of   this   important   site.   Buried   features   include   a   stone chimney   base   and   foundation   from   a   blockhouse,   with   a   nearby   large   storage   pit   that   may   have   served as   a   powder   magazine,   ash   and   refuse   filled   pits,   and   a   slag   concentration   from   blacksmithing. A   trench filled    with    post    molds    delineates    a    stockade    with    north    and    south    bastions,    and    two    gates.    The archaeological   integrity   of   the   site;   its   connection   to   Native   American,   African   American,   and   settler communities;   and   its   rich   historical   documentation   give   the Arbuckle’s   Fort   site   tremendous   potential   for research and public interpretation. This   25-acre   preserve   will   serve   as   a   permanently   protected   monument   to   the   struggles   our   Greenbrier Valley   ancestors   endured   in   the   mid-1700s   as   they   put   their   roots   down   in   the   region.   The   fort   site   now rests   on   a   lush   grassy   knoll   bordered   by   two   slow   meandering   streams;   inviting   visitors   to   interpret history   while   peacefully   enjoying   the   natural   setting.   Local   school   students   and   tourists   have   used   the site   to   learn   about   archaeology   and   history;   the   permanent   preservation   of   this   property   will   ensure   they can   continue   to   do   so.   It   is   anticipated   that   conserving   such   historic   sites   throughout   the   Greenbrier Valley   will   increase   the   draw   for   tourists,   and   will   ultimately   boost   the   local   economy   as   the   Valley becomes a destination for more visitors. The   greatest   obstacle   to   saving   Arbuckle’s   Fort   is   raising   the   necessary   funds   to   acquire   the   property containing   the   site.   The   West   Virginia   Land   Trust   and   The   Archaeological   Conservancy   are   seeking   to raise    $125,000    to    purchase    the    site    which    currently    has    no    protections    against    development    or destruction.   The   West   Virginia   Outdoor   Heritage   Conservation   Fund   has   already   committed   $25,000   to management   of   the   property,   and   our   hope   is   that   $60,000   of   the   total   amount   can   be   crowdfunded through   outreach   to   the   local   community   in   partnership   with   the   Greenbrier   Historical   Society.   Once acquired,   the   partners   plan   to   work   together   to   develop   the   site   into   a   passive   use   park   with   signage about   the   cultural   and   natural   resources   protected   within   the   property.   Future   plans   include   developing   a Friend’s   Group   to   help   maintain   the   site   and   share   the   importance   of   this   resource   on   the   local   and   state levels. Please   consider   donating   to   this   conservation   effort   at   the   link   below   to   support   the   protection   of   this extraordinary    site.    Each    $30    donation    will    give    you    a    1-year    membership    to    The   Archaeological Conservancy. https://give.archaeologicalconservancy.org/holdthefort,

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