Fort Hawkins

Fort Hawkins was established in 1806 by President Thomas Jefferson and Indian Agent Col. Benjamin Hawkins as an official U.S. Army Fort and Indian Factory for trading and meeting with Native Americans. It overlooked the ancient Indian Mounds of the "Old Fields" held sacred by the Muskogee Creek Nation, the Ocmulgee River, the Lower Creek Pathway that became the Federal Road connecting Washington, D.C. to Mobile and New Orleans, and the future site of Macon founded across the river seventeen years later.

Fort Hawkins played an important role in Native Relations and Homeland Security as the gateway to the west in our Nation's rapidly expanding frontier. Andrew Jackson visited the Fort and used it successfully as a staging area for the War of 1812's Battle of New Orleans as well as the Creek and Seminole Wars. After the frontier moved further westward and Macon was founded in 1823, the Fort was decommissioned in 1828.

Since that year Macon has strived to preserve this important national and local historical landmark as evidenced by impassioned pleas in the local paper beginning in 1828 and continuing throughout the years. In the 1930's due to the efforts of the Nathaniel Macon Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a replica of Fort Hawkins southeastern blockhouse was reconstructed on the exact site of the original using some of the fort's original stones in the basement section. The Fort originally had a tall log palisade surrounding a 1- 2 acre complex complete with many living and working quarters as well as another blockhouse on the northwest corner.

Archaeological evidence conducted in 2005 by the Fort Hawkins Commission has further proven that Fort Hawkins is indeed a "national treasure." The Commission is dedicated to study this rich archaeological resource carefully with the dream of rebuilding the historic fort and providing further education through living history about this important part of early American history. The Commission opens the blockhouse throughout the year for special events and hosts a patriotic Fourth of July Celebration every year.

General Information:

Hours of Operation: By Appointment
Telephone Number: (478) 751-7260 or (478 )742-3003

Address:
Emery Highway @ Fort Hill and Maynard Steets
Macon, Ga.