"A good and Substantial Building of the Dimentions following (that is to say) The Oblong Square fifty three feet by forty, the opposite Angles Twenty four feet and Twenty-two, In height Twenty four and a half feet as by the Plan annexed Appears, The Thickness of the Walls which are made of Oak Logs regularly Diminished from sixteen Inches to Six, it contains three floors and there may be discharged from each floor at one and the same time about one hundred Muskets the same is beautifully scituated in the fork of Fourth Creek a Branch of the Yadkin River."

Fort Dobbs was the only permanent frontier provincial fort in the colony of North Carolina. Construction began in late 1755 and was completed one year later.  It served as the military headquarters for the frontier company (approximately fifty men) as well as a safe-haven for settlers. 

The fort was attacked on the night of February 27, 1760 when more than sixty Cherokees were repelled. The garrison suffered two men wounded, as well as having one colonial boy killed. The Cherokee were reported to have lost 10-12 men killed and wounded. Waddell described the encounter in a dispatch to Governor Dobbs:

"We had not marched 300 yds from the fort when we were attacked by at least 60 or 70 Indians ... We recd the Indian's fire: When I perceived they had almost all fired, I ordered my party to fire which We did not further than 12 Steps each loaded with a Bullet and 7 Buck shot, they had nothing to cover them as they were advancing either to tomahawk or make us prisoners ... the Indians were soon repulsed with I am sure a considerable Loss, from what I myself saw as well as those I can confide in they cou'd not have less that 10 or 12 killed and wounded ... On my sided I had 2 Men wounded one of whom I am afraid will die as he is scalped, the other is in a way of Recovery, and one boy killed near the fort."

By the end of 1761, the British had essentially won the war and only thirty troops remained at the fort. Colonial leaders disbanded the troops and removed all the supplies of the garrison as settlement moved far west of the fort. The neglected fort was in ruins by 1766.

1. Determine the location of the fort

2. Define the character of the fort

3. Document through artifacts the nature of life at the fort

Official archaeological excavations begun in 1967, led Dr. Stanley South to confirm the exact location of the fort by 1968.

During 2005 and 2006, Dr. Lawrence Babits of East Carolina University, a scholar trained in archaeology, military architecture and history, reevaluated the results of all previous archeological work and performed additional archaeology to clarify certain issues. Babits' study revealed that sufficient evidence exists to recreate the fort in a historically accurate manner. Babits unveiled his extensive archeological research report to the public during a press conference held at the Statesville Civic Center. The event was attended by dignitaries from around the state.

According to written documents and the results of archaeological excavations, the original fort

• was a modified wooden blockhouse-type structure.

• measured 53'x 40'.

• had 24'x22' flanker extensions at two of its four corners.

• boasted a fireplace, an extended cellar and an interior well.

• could accommodate 100 soldiers firing muskets on each of its three floors.

• was surrounded by a ditch.

• had a door protected by a palisade wall.

Today, recovered artifacts continue to undergo preservation, conservation and cataloging at the Office of State Archives Research Center in Raleigh.

Click the aerial image below to view enlargement of the 2002 excavation. Other photos were taken during the 2006 excavation.

The settlers who established themselves on the western edge of North Carolina almost all originated in Pennsylvania. Many began moving south in the mid-1730’s, some settling in western Maryland and Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley for several years before following the Great Wagon Road to western NC as early as 1749. The settlers were drawn by inexpensive, fertile land. North Carolina was also far removed from the threat of French-allied Native American attacks until the start of the French and Indian War in 1754.

By 1755, 35 families had established themselves in what was called the Fourth Creek Settlement. These families lived along Third, Fourth, and Fifth Creeks. The descendants of many of these early settlers are still in the area today.

Settlers continued to trickle in during the French and Indian War and Anglo-Cherokee War. After the Anglo-Cherokee War was concluded in 1761, settlers began to find their way to the Fourth Creek Settlement in large numbers. By 1765, the Fourth Creek Settlement had 119 landholders living within approximately ten miles of the Fourth Creek Meeting House (established in 1756). In addition to the white settlers, there were at least eleven enslaved people of African descent in the Fourth Creek Settlement by 1765.

While most of the settlers were farmers, some skilled tradesmen can be documented. By 1765, there were three blacksmiths, a bricklayer, two carpenters, a clothier, a cooper, two cordwainers, four millers, nine planters, a reverend, a schoolmaster, a shoemaker, a silversmith, two surveyors, four tailors, and five weavers. 

The following link is to a Google Map of the settlement of western North Carolina: This Map and the following information are based on land patents which can be found in the North Carolina Land Grant Image and Data website.

Fourth Creek Settlement Property Owners 1749-1765 by Date of Land Grant