Fort Lyttleton Traditional Geocache
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Fort Lyttleton (Littleton) was established by Governor Robert Morris in 1756. The fort, of which nothing exists today, was located on the grassy knoll directly adjacent to the present day historical markers. Roadside parking is meager, but adequate. Please be aware of traffic on Rt#522.
Fort Lyttleton was one of a long string of forts that were built for the protection of colonists on the western edge of the Colonies. Many were built as a direct result of General Braddock's ignominious defeat in what is now western Penssylvania, at the hands of the French and Indians. That defeat exposed the entire Cumberland Valley frontier to the ravages of French and Indian raids.
Reliable statistics are not available on the number of colonists who were scalped, killed or carried away into captivity. Many fled before the onslaught, turning the towns of Lancaster, York, Carlisle and Harris' Landing (Harrisburg) into cities of refuge. And you thought refugees fleeing war and fighting was a modern phenomenon that graces the evening news.
At any rate, for students of The French & Indian War, and for modern day residents of the Cumberland Valley, the REPORT OF THE COMMISSION TO LOCATE THE SITE OF THE FRONTIER FORTS OF PENNSYLVANIA - The Frontier Forts in the Cumberland and Juniata Valleys by Jay Gilfillan Weiser makes for some very fascinating and scary reading.
This volume was printed by Clarence M. Busch, Printer for the State of Pennsylvania, in 1896 and is available for reading online. This on-line volume is huge and somewhat cumbersome to navigate within, but the picture of colonial life in the Cumberland Valley that emerges is unforgettable, and stands as a testament to the hearty and determined spirit of the American Colonists.
You will need to supply your own writing instrument, as the cache is quite small, the location not able to support a larger container.
Nearby attractions include Burnt Cabins and Camp Sinoquipe. The history of Burnt Cabins and the old grist mill there are interesting stories to themselves. Camp Sinoquipe is the summer home encampment of the Boys Scouts of America Mason-Dixon Council.
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