Jared works with a student helping him to profile the western wall of a unit along the trench line.
Fort Shirley was an important colonial era frontier fort erected by Irish immigrant and Indian trader George Croghan in October of 1755, to defend trade and to protect English colonists against the aggressions of the French and their Native American allies. Much more than just a trading post turned defensive position; the site, located in Huntingdon County, was a hub of activity for traders, native refugees, provincial troops, and emissaries of the commonwealth. On August 31, 1756, Lieutenant Colonel John Armstrong and 300 Pennsylvania militiamen marched from Fort Shirley to carry out their infamous raid on the Lenape village of Kittanning. In addition to many Contact Period artifacts, part of the fort palisade wall was discovered and documented by the Penn State University field school during the summer of 2010. The field school will return for a second season in 2011, with the goal of locating more of the palisade and additional features associated with Croghan’s trading post and the fort.