As part of the organization’s Six-to-Fix preservation priority program, Preservation Maryland is an effort to locate the historic location of the lost Fort Tonoloway. Preservation Maryland’s efforts are in conjunction with the Maryland Park Service and made possible by a grant from the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program.
Fort Tonoloway was built in 1755 in modern day Washington County by Lieutenant Thomas Stoddert and men of the Maryland militia. Garrisoned for only a year, the Fort was abandoned in 1756 when nearby Fort Frederick was established. In the ensuing 263 years, the precise location of the fort has been lost.
As a result of listing in the Six-to-Fix program, Preservation Maryland used American Battlefield Protection Program funding to hire Rivanna Archeological Services, LLC to conduct significant research into the Fort Tonoloway site. The scope of work includes both a review of existing research and materials along with a full surface survey and military terrain analysis. The goal of the work is to both endeavor to provide evidence of Fort Tonoloway’s location and provide a starting place for future archaeological investigations and the preservation and interpretation of the site.
A reconnaissance survey was completed and the results, to be placed on GIS-based maps, are being finalized. Rivanna is also midway through their in-depth military terrain analysis which is going beyond the usual analysis work and integrating historical research to provide contextual location clues in primary and secondary sources. The project’s final stage will begin in March 2020 and Preservation Maryland will continue to provide updates on the status of the project.