Built in 1974, for the Battle of
Point Pleasant Bicentennial,
the Fort has stood on the edge of Krodel Lake for a quarter of a century, used
from time to time by civic organizations, clubs and youth programs (4Her’s
and Boy Scouts), but for the most part of those 25 years, the Fort has stood
empty. In early spring of 1997,
the Fort Committee, with funding from the Claude Worthington Benedium
Foundation, Greater Kanawha Resource Conservation & Development Area
(RC&D) and the Governor’s Community Partnership Grant Program, built a
hewed log structure we now use as the trading post and museum. The building is
48’ long and 28’ wide. In addition to the trading post, an 1840 log house
was reconstructed adjacent to the Fort in 1997. After acquiring more funding,
from RC&D, a beautiful stone fireplace and chimney was added to the log
house. In 1998, the Fort Committee
received funding, from the Gordon C. and Mildred R. Jackson Foundation and the
Governor’s Community Partnership Grant Program, to build two blockhouses at
the front corners of the Fort and this year another grant from the Jackson
Foundation, enabled the committee to construct a 12’ X 24’ hewed logged
Blacksmith Shop and that was just recently completed. In May of 1998, Fort Randolph
opened its gates to the public for viewing
and was open every first weekend thru October of that year. This year the Fort
has been open every weekend, using a special theme on the first weekend of each
month. The Fort has offered our visitors a number of demonstrations and
re-enactments. Colonial carpentry, broom making, native Indian lore, candle
dipping, basket weaving, soap making, spinning wheel demonstrations, flintlock
and cannon demonstrations, flint napping and will soon have colonial
blacksmithing added to the list. There also is a nature trail built around the
Fort and additions are being added to it by RC&D at this time, it includes
trees and shrubs that are native to this area and a watering system was added
this past summer so the plants could be cared for during the dry seasons. The Fort Randolph Committee
has twelve members who have, along with other volunteers, contributed well over
2000 man-hours of volunteer work since we starting keeping a record of these
hours last March. Construction and other improvement costs, over the past three
years, have exceeded Three Thousand Dollars. Since opening day, May 1st. (weekends
only) the Fort has greeted over 3000 visitors to date. There has been one
wedding, 4H Club and Boy Scout camp outs. During Battle Days there will be an
encampment and battle re-enactments along with demonstrations and story telling.
On Nov. 13th The Veteran’s of Foreign Wars will sponsor a Health Fair for
veterans at Fort Randolph. |