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Fort Dobbs Recreates Life on the Frontier
August 19, 2014
Fort Dobbs State Historic Site will offer a glimpse of life on the North Carolina frontier on September 13-14. In the summer of 1755, 50 soldiers arrived on a remote hilltop near present-day Statesville with orders to build a fort to guard local settlers and mark the edge of the British Empire.
Named for royal governor Arthur Dobbs and commanded by Hugh Waddell, the fort was the base of operations for Waddell’s troops during the French and Indian War, which had been the climax of centuries of tension between England and France. The western frontier was considered dangerous, and on occasion colonists would stay close to the fort’s fortifications to remain protected from attacks by French-allied Indians.
The living history program will feature historic interpreters portraying American provincial soldiers and their Native American allies. They will present musket firing demonstrations at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., as well as cannon firings at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. each day, besides ongoing displays of 18th century military camp life. The free programs will run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.
The educational program at this state historic site gives life to North Carolina’s past experiences and traditions and demonstrates the value of living history to students and adults.
Scott Douglas to Lead Fort Dobbs
January 24, 2014
By Jim McNally, Statesville Record and Landmark
After serving under three different site managers at Fort Dobbs and working in that capacity on an interim basis for the past several months, Scott Douglas was appointed to the post on a permanent basis earlier this month.
“I’ve been here long enough to know the ups and downs of the Fort,” Douglas said of seven years as the interpreter for the site. “I probably know more about the Fort than most people and I genuinely care about it. Quite literally, I have gotten a lot of hands-on experience at the Fort.”
As interpreter, Douglas often dressed in the costume of an 18th century British soldier of the type that was stationed at Fort Dobbs some two and half centuries ago. His jobs as interpreter were more on the educational side. He acted as tour guide, was involved in reenactments and explained various aspects of the fort and its role in the French and Indian War.
As site manager, Douglas will serve as Fort Dobbs’ top officer, a job that involves working with the community at large in promoting the site and acting as liaison between the Friends of Fort Dobbs and the North Carolina Division of State Historic Sites and Properties, which oversees the property.
While hosting more than a half-dozen events at the site during the course of the year, Douglas said he will still help maintain the impetus in the effort to have a reproduction of the actual Fort Dobbs built on the grounds, located just north of Statesville’s city limits.
Douglas said the Friends of Fort Dobbs – a membership organization with interest in the fort – are working with a capital services firm to raise the $2.5 million needed for the project.
“It cost 1,000 pounds to build the original fort,” Douglas said of the structure that was built in 1756. “And that was a considerable amount of money when you consider that the average soldier stationed there only made 15 pounds per year.”
Douglas said the job of site manager is, overall, an exciting one but one that does have prosaic aspects to it.
“I also have to do some boring things, like pay the bills,” he said and added, “But I’ll still get to wear some funny clothes once in a while.”
Friends of Fort Dobbs — Musket Raffle
January 2014
Click image below to open full-size flyer.
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