Make Time for Fort Klock
by Don Rittner
My colleague and I visited Fort Klock last week. It is a magical place that I am surprised more people do not know about.
Fort Klock is a one and one half story fortified stone farm house of Joannes Klock that is only a few yards from the Mohawk River about one mile east of St. Johnsville in Montgomery County. Built by master mason William Pick, the walls of Fort Klock are over two feet thick and gun ports are found throughout the building giving the building a sturdy defensive appearance.
Gun ports are located throughout the building. Photo Don Rittner.
There is an inscription near the gable on the east wall the records the construction date with William Pick’s initials; the inscription: “Erd. Willem Pick, 1750,” meaning “Erected by William Pick, 1750,”
A spring in the basement in case of attack. Photo Don Rittner.
In addition, a spring is located in the cellar that supplied fresh water in case of attack.
Stanley P. Mixon, Photographer June 15, 1940, (A) EXTERIOR, GENERAL VIEW OF SITE FROM OLD BARN FOUNDATION, LOOKING TOWARD FORT KLOCK & MOHAWK RIVER, SHOWING REMAINING BUILDINGS OF THE OLD FARM GROUP. – Fort Klock, U.S. Route 5, Saint Johnsville, Montgomery County, NY. Several of these buildings are gone. Source: Library of Congress.
Stanley P. Mixon, Photographer June 15, 1940, (B) EXTERIOR, GENERAL VIEW FROM WEST, SHOWING FORT, WITH OPEN COWSHED AT LEFT, AND WORKSHOP AND PUMPHOUSE AT RIGHT IN FIELD. – Fort Klock, U.S. Route 5, Saint Johnsville, Montgomery County, NY. The open cowshed is no longer standing.
Klock built the house in 1750 a few years before the French and Indian Wars. A wing was added to the north wall in 1764. Klock was a patriot during the American Revolution and a member of the Tyron county committee of Safety and militia member. His son Colonel Jacob Klock, commander of the Palatine Regiment, Tyron County Militia, protected the home with a palisade around it during the Revolution.
Nelson E. Baldwin, Photographer December 2, 1936, FRONT ELEVATION. – Fort Klock, U.S. Route 5, Saint Johnsville, Montgomery County, NY. Building in disrepair. Source: Library of Congress.
In 1780, there was a battle between the Albany County Militia under the leadership of General Robert Van Rensselaer with 1500 militiamen and a British supported group of 700 Natives and Loyalists by Lt. Col. Sir John Johnson and Captain Joseph Brant, the Mohawk, and appears to be the last battle of the loyalist raids on the Mohawk and Schoharie valleys. It was called The Battle of Klock’s Field (also called the Battle of Falling’s Orchard, the Battle of Nellis Flatts, or Battle of Stone Arabia) and occurred a mile west on October 19, 1780 on his brother George Klock’s property (also called Fort Klock but no longer standing). Many of the local residents hid in the fort during the battle. George was an enemy of Sir William Johnson based apparently on a land dispute. While the patriots were victorious, the loyalists escaped while they were taking a break in the action. Brant was wounded in the heel of his foot.
Sir John Johnson. Image wikipedia.
Joseph Brant escaped the battle but was wounded. Image Wikipedia.
Remarkably the house is pretty much original with only a little modernization. The Klock family owned it up through the 1950s, over 170 years, but then it fell into disrepair.
Fort Klock Today is a step back in time before the American Revolution. Photo Don Rittner.
In 1953 Willis “Skip” Barshield Jr. and his new Tryon County Muzzleloaders group (a dozen men interested in shooting antique guns) found the property with no doors or windows, floors rotting, and walls crumbling. Barshield arranged to meet with the owner Alexander Don, a descendent of Johannes, and learned that he had wanted to restore the old fort. He gave the muzzleloaders a long-term lease and a plan was put into action to repair and restore it. The group did a fantastic job.
Stanley P. Mixon, Photographer June 15, 1940, (C) EXTERIOR, KLOCK’S FORT, FROM NORTH WEST, SHOWING REAR (NORTH) AND WEST SIDE. – Fort Klock, U.S. Route 5, Saint Johnsville, Montgomery County, NY
Stanley P. Mixon, Photographer June 15, 1940, (D) EXTERIOR, GENERAL VIEW OF REAR OF HOUSE, FROM NORTH EAST. – Fort Klock, U.S. Route 5, Saint Johnsville, Montgomery County, NY
Willis “Skip” Barshield Jr. began restoration of Fort Klock with his volunteers many years ago. Photo Don Rittner.
There is more than just the fort however. The 30-acre site also includes a blacksmith shop and a one-room school built in 1825. The school suffered from a fire so the muzzleloaders bought the schoolhouse and restored it.
Stanley P. Mixon, Photographer June 15, 1940, (N) EXTERIOR, BLACKSMITH SHOP, ON GROUNDS AT PRESENT HIGHWAY, LOOKING SOUTH TOWARD RIVER. – Fort Klock, U.S. Route 5, Saint Johnsville, Montgomery County, NY. Source: Library of Congress.
The 1825 Schoolhouse has been restored and is owned by the Fort Klock group. Photo Don Rittner.
The schoolhouse. There even is a small walking trail near the schoolhouse. Photo Don Rittner.
When Alex Don passed in 1957, his wife Mable deeded the property to the muzzleloaders and the fortified home was opened to the public in 1961. In 1973, the name was changed to the Fort Klock Historic Restoration and was designated a National Historic Landmark.
A Dutch barn built around 1790 was donated to the group and in 1989 was taken down and brought to the property and restored.
Interior of the Dutch Barn showing the classic “H” Frame construction. Photo Don Rittner.
Another stone structure is next to the house but no one is quite sure what the original purpose was however it is known as the cheese house because cheese was made there.
The “Cheesehouse.” No one is quite sure what the original use of the building was. Photo Don Rittner
We met Skip who was there briefly and was having some difficulty with his back but we did get a complete and through tour by one of the volunteers, Les “BearClaw” Stewart, a Mohawk and artist in his own right.
Les showing us a foot warmer. There are many artifacts at the site. Photo Don Rittner.
What we saw was amazing and a testament to what a handful of volunteers can do. The fortified house is completely restored and is full of many period furnishings. The Blacksmith shop is fully workable and is used for teaching purposes.
Two Greek Revival houses are also on the site. One is rented out and the other here is used for storage at the present time. Photo Don Rittner.
A smaller Greek Revival house on the other side of the road is used for storage now but another house is rented out.
Interior views of the Blacksmith Shop. Photo Don Rittner
A Hay barrack was built on the property not far from the schoolhouse. Les gave detailed explanations of every room, what the artifacts were used for, and a tour of the grounds. Even though we were there towards the end of the regular hours, Les stayed and gave us detailed information on almost every artifact on the grounds.
A hay Barrack was built. Photo Don Rittner.
The setting on the Mohawk River is beautiful and one can envision what it was like 300 years ago.
Looking out towards the grounds. Photo Don Rittner.
The volunteers hold periodic events and this year on September 8 & 9 there will be the 46th annual craft Fair and on September 29th and 30th will feature “Interrupted Harvest, 1778, the Mohawk Valley Refugee Crisis,” a pretty current topic, by Gavin Watt and Jennifer Debruin.
The fireplace. Photo Don Rittner.
The site is open from May and closes on Columbus Day. Tours are Friday through Sunday from 9AM to 5PM until July 1 then until Labor Day, Friday to Monday. After Labor Day Friday to Sunday 9 to 5.
They have a gift shop and it costs $5 to visit and tour.
Their web site is at http://www.fortklockrestoration.org/home.html
Fort Klock is about an hour from Albany. Their phone number is 518-568-7779
Don Rittner - Historian At Large 