Hawkins Archeological Site | |
 Fort Hawkins (1938 reconstructed southeastern blockhouse) | |
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| Location | Macon, Georgia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 32°50′56″N 83°36′42″W / 32.8489°N 83.6116°W |
| Built | 1806 |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000410[1] |
| Added to NRHP | November 23, 1977 |
Fort Hawkins was a fort built between 1806 and 1810 by the United States Army during President Thomas Jefferson's administration. Built in what is now Georgia on the Fall Line on the east side of the Ocmulgee River, the fort overlooked the Ocmulgee Old Fields. The Lower Creek Trading Path passed by just outside the fort's northwestern blockhouse, and continued in a westerly direction to a natural ford on the Ocmulgee River. The fort became important to the Lower Creek Indians, the United States, and the State of Georgia for economic, military, and political reasons.
The fort originally had a log palisade wall surrounding a 1.4-acre area, which contained living and working quarters for soldiers and officers, as well as two blockhouses on the northwestern and southeastern corners. A replica of the southeastern blockhouse was begun in 1928 based on architectural plans by Curran Ellis and Henry Behr, but not completed until 1938. A small archaeological excavation was conducted in 1936. The Fort Hawkins Archeological Site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is included within the boundaries of the Fort Hill Historic District, also listed on the NRHP.
The Fort Hawkins Commission ran the site from 1990-2018. Under the guidance of Chairman Bob Cramer, the commission hired the Lamar Institute to conduct archaeological excavations in 2005. These excavations continued intermittently until 2013, and found evidence of a second palisade wall, as well as several brick buildings, and recovered nearly 40,000 artifacts. Historical research by Dan Elliott has also added greatly to the current understanding of the fort. A replica log cabin was dedicated in 2014 to serve as a Visitors' Center. The commission was replaced by the non-profit Fort Hawkins Foundation, Inc. in 2018, and this organization has run the site ever since.