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Franklin County Grant Supports Historic Fort Loudoun

The Franklin County Commissioners recently approved a Franklin County Tourism and Quality of Life Enhancement Grant for the reconstruction of four bastions at Historic Fort Loudoun.

Commissioners

April 18, 2019

A person holds a small diorama of a historic wooden fort with several buildings inside a fenced perimeter.
Model of future reconstruction of Historic Fort Loudoun.

The Franklin County Commissioners recently approved a $25,259 Franklin County Tourism and Quality of Life Enhancement Grant for the reconstruction of four bastions at Historic Fort Loudoun located at 1720 North Brooklyn Road in Fort Loudon.

Built in 1756 during the French and Indian War, the fort served as a post on the Forbes Road. The site was reconstructed in 1993 and slowly fell into disrepair, becoming unusable for visitation. This funding will preserve and improve the site with historically accurate construction for future generations.

“To fully understand our founding fathers, the founding of this nation, the revolution and our constitution, it is just as important that we learn about what happened at Fort Loudoun in Franklin County as it is that we learn about what happened at Lexington and Concord, at Bunker Hill, and at the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. This project helps keep that story alive,” said Commissioner and Board Chairman Dave Keller.

Franklin County Commissioner Bob Thomas is given a tour by Andrew Newman, President of the Fort Loudoun Historical Society.

Pictured above: Franklin County Commissioner Bob Thomas is given a tour by Andrew Newman, President of the Fort Loudoun Historical Society.

“This fort is a part of our history and we are proud to support its reconstruction,” said Franklin County Commissioner Bob Thomas.

Historic Fort Loudoun is managed by the Fort Loudoun Historical Society, an all-volunteer team of community members. With the proposed work underway, the team is looking for more volunteers. “How often can you say that you worked on a real life fort?” asks volunteer Mark Heckman.

The Franklin County Tourism and Quality of Life Enhancement Grant has allocated over $1.5M to more than 30 local projects since 2014. The grant program is designed to enhance tourism, preserve and enhance historical resources in the county, and provide bike and walking trails for the enjoyment of residents and visitors. The funding comes from the hotel/motel tax on overnight stays at hotels in the county, as well as Marcellus Shale impact fees.

Guard House construction funded by a donation from Tom and Jean Diehl.

Pictured above: Guard House construction funded by a donation from Tom and Jean Diehl.

Bastion (corner) construction.

Pictured above: Bastion (corner) construction.

Visit http://www.fortloudounpa.com/ for more information or to volunteer. For more information on the grant program, contact the Franklin County Planning Department at (717) 261-3855.