Fort Durkee, a name synonymous with colonial frontier disputes, was strategically erected in 1769 on the eastern bank of the Susquehanna River, in what is today Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. This crucial fortification served as a beacon of protection and a flashpoint in the contentious struggle for the fertile Wyoming Valley, laying bare the fierce territorial claims of early American settlers.
Established during the spring and summer of 1769, Fort Durkee was spearheaded by Major John Durkee, a seasoned Connecticut militia officer. Its dual purpose was clear: to defend the nascent Connecticut settlements from potential Native American incursions and, perhaps more urgently, to resist the encroachment of Pennsylvania settlers who vehemently challenged Connecticut’s title to the valuable Wyoming Valley.
The Contentious Claims to the Wyoming Valley
The fertile lands along the east branch of the Susquehanna River had attracted numerous Connecticut settlers since the 1750s, driven by land shortages, thin soil, and shorter growing seasons in their home colony. However, their arrival was met with staunch resistance not only from indigenous peoples like the Shawnee, Delaware, and Iroquois tribes but also from the neighboring colony of Pennsylvania.
The root of this intense dispute lay in overlapping royal land grants. The Dutch had initially considered the Susquehanna River as a natural border between New Netherland and Virginia. However, King Charles II of England dismissed Dutch claims, granting the land encompassing the Wyoming Valley to Connecticut in 1662. Curiously, just two decades later, in 1681, the very same King Charles II included this identical territory in a separate grant to William Penn, laying the groundwork for inevitable conflict. Both colonies further complicated matters by acquiring separate land treaties from various Native American tribes, each believing their claim to be legitimate. The Connecticut arrivals were disparagingly labeled “Yankees” by the Pennsylvanians, who viewed their presence as an unwarranted intrusion on lands they believed were rightfully theirs.
Construction and the Dawn of the Yankee-Pennamite Wars
In 1769, the same year that Fort Durkee rose from the ground, Connecticut settlers formally established the town of Wilkes-Barre. The fort itself was a formidable structure, crafted from sturdy hewn logs, featuring a strong blockhouse, and encircled by a rampart and an entrenchment for added defense. While its exact dimensions remain unrecorded, historians estimate its enclosure covered approximately half an acre, providing ample refuge for the settlers.
This fragile peace was short-lived. In November of 1769, just months after its completion, agents of Pennsylvania’s proprietary government—known as “Pennamites”—launched a decisive strike. They successfully captured Fort Durkee and, in a retaliatory act, burned the nascent town of Wilkes-Barre to the ground. Several prominent Connecticut claimants were then taken to Philadelphia for trial, marking the violent commencement of what would become famously known as the “Yankee-Pennamite Wars.” Over the ensuing years, control of Fort Durkee changed hands multiple times, reflecting the ebb and flow of this bitter inter-colonial struggle. The intensity escalated further in January 1771 when Pennsylvania authorities constructed their own stronghold, Fort Wyoming, a mere 1,000 feet away from Fort Durkee, setting the stage for direct confrontation.
Fort Durkee During the American Revolution
The outbreak of the American Revolution redirected colonial energies, but the strategic importance of the Wyoming Valley remained. Although likely abandoned by this time, the site of Fort Durkee briefly regained military significance in June 1779. General John Sullivan’s expedition, a major campaign against the British and their Iroquois allies, utilized the former fort’s location as a temporary staging point. This fleeting occupation underscored the valley’s continued role as a vital frontier passage and a battleground in the broader fight for American independence.
Resolution and Legacy: The Decree of Trenton
Following the conclusion of the American Revolution, the pressing matter of land ownership in the Wyoming Valley finally came before the newly formed American Congress. In December 1782, the dispute was settled by the historic Decree of Trenton, which formally granted the contested land to Pennsylvania. This decision had profound implications for the Connecticut Yankees who had settled the region. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania subsequently ruled that these settlers were not citizens of the Commonwealth, denying them voting rights and compelling them to surrender their property claims. This ruling, while establishing clear jurisdiction, left many long-time residents disenfranchised and dispossessed.
Today, no physical remains of Fort Durkee stand as a testament to its turbulent past. The wooden structures, having served their purpose in an era of intense colonial rivalry and frontier conflict, have long since succumbed to time and the elements. However, the legacy of this pivotal stronghold is not forgotten. A historical marker proudly stands on River Street, near South Street in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, ensuring that the memory of Fort Durkee and its significant role in American history endures. It remains a powerful symbol of the complex land disputes and fierce determination that characterized the early American frontier.
