This cache is part of the 25 cache Pennsylvania State Parks America250PA GeoTrail. Have fun exploring and discovering Pennsylvania's history!
Photo: French Map 1750s of the Penninsula showing the location of the French fort.
- Built by the French on May 15, 1753, occupied until 1759.
- Good site for a fort with the protection of the peninsula the Bay was considered a safe harbor.
- The French named the peninsula Presque Isle meaning almost an Island.
- This fort was in conjunction with three other forts, Fort Le Boeuf, Fort Machault, and Fort Duquesne for establishing a fur trade route.
- Fort Presque Isle was the first stop on the supply chain from Fort Niagara.
- The British then built a fort in the same location in Erie in 1760 and occupied until 1763.
- General Anthony Wayne arrives in the Erie area in 1786. In 1795 200 federal troops from Waynes army, under the direction of Captain John Grubb, built a block house on Garrison Hill also named fort Presque Isle.
- This site was also chosen by Americans to build a fleet of ships led by captain Oliver Hazard Perry in 1813 to fight a battle against the British “The Battle of Lake Erie”.
Photo: Presque Isle Harbor 1839
- The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers did a survey of Presque Isle in 1818 and was given the task to make the harbor navigable for large ships.
- The Engineers designed the north and south piers, construction began in 1823 and completed and functioning in 1830.
- The function of the two piers were designed to self-dredge the channel maintaining a depth of 16 feet.
- Today the channel is maintained at a depth close to 40 feet.
For more information about this state park and its amenities please visit the website: Presque Isle State Park | Department of Conservation and Natural Resources| Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
