NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Historical Society marked the 270th anniversary of the rebuilding of Fort Massachusetts with continued efforts to secure the land where the fort once stood.

 

"That is where our history is and our history should never be moved," Wendy Champney said Saturday at a small presentation at Western Gateway Heritage State Park. "Now we ask what lies ahead for the historic site for Fort Massachusetts and our history's past, present and future depends on what we as a community do today to defend it like how they defended the fort."  

 

Champney said the city has been in continued negotiations with Golub Corp. Golub purchased the property in 1959 and demolished the replica to build Central Market, which eventually became the former Price Chopper.  

 

"Our group Save Fort Massachusetts Memorial has been negotiating for months trying to make sure that we bring our history back to our community," she said.

 

Robert Campanile read an account from the Rev. John Norton describing the siege during the second of the French and Indian Wars, better known as King George's War, during which almost two dozen Colonial soldiers tried to hold off 300 natives and French troops. Although able to defend the fort for 28 hours, they ultimately succumbed. 

 

Near 30 civilian and military captives were marched to Canada. 

 

Much of the presentation was focused on the aftermath of the siege and what happened to the fort. 

 

Local Historian Paul W. Marino said the fort was rebuilt a number of times throughout the conflict and continued to be raided even after the war.

 

"By the time of the American Revolution some 17 years later the fort was still being raided only this time it was being raided by people who lived nearby who were looking for free lumber for building their houses and barns," Marino said. 

 

Marino said Clement Harrison purchased the land in 1830, drained the swamp and began farming. The land was known as Harrison's Meadow until the Fort Massachusetts Historical Society purchased the land 65 years later.

 

This lead to the excavation in 1858 by professor A.L. Perry of Williams College and his students, who found a variety of artifacts from the fort. The excavation concluded in the planting of a tree in the center of the fort that came to be known as the Perry elm.

 

In 1895, the society purchased the land and erected a replica fort.

 

"Construction took three years and it was dedicated on Aug. 21, 1933," Marino said. "It would last less than 30 years. One of the problems, a problem that many historical societies faced, the Fort Massachusetts Historical Society became an organization of old ladies."

 

He said the society was made up of the wives and sisters of industrial leaders in the city who formed social clubs. As time went on, membership faltered and there were fewer funds to pay off the loan needed to build the fort.

 

Admission to the fort was 25 cents and part of the income had to pay a caretaker's salary.

 

After World War II, the society was approached by an individual who wanted to rent a structure within the fort and open a restaurant. 

 

"This gave them a steady income for a couple of years although the fort continued to deteriorate, the palisade had to be demolished and then the restaurant closed," Marino said.  

 

In the 1950s, the society was approached by Golub Corp. to purchase the property to build a motel but keep the standing building from the replica as a museum.

 

Marino said the society accepted this offer but instead of erecting a hotel, what remained of the fort was demolished, leaving the fire place from the replica fort. 

 

Now that Price Chopper has closed. the Historical Society is unsure what will become of the memorial installed by the Daughters of the American Revolution.

 

Champney said updates on the negotiations can be found here.