Fort Laurens Dig Helps Shape Revolutionary War Fort’s Reconstruction
BOLIVAR (WJER) (July 7, 2026) – An archaeological dig at Fort Laurens is helping shape the reconstruction of Ohio’s only Revolutionary War fort.
Project Director and lead archaeologist Jonathan Brewster says crews are investigating the base of the original palisade wall, where rotted logs left dark circular stains in the ground. Those marks are being mapped to determine how wide the logs were and how far apart they were spaced, so the rebuilt fort can be as accurate as possible.
Brewster says the four-person field crew started the current dig around June 1st and has been moving at about two meters a day. So far, they’ve recorded about three dozen post locations. They’ve also found a French gun flint and a fired musket ball, evidence tied to the fort’s Revolutionary War history.
The work is part of a larger rehabilitation project that includes rebuilding the museum, restoring the tomb area, and reconstructing three sides of the fort. Brewster says the east end can’t be rebuilt accurately because it was removed when the canal was dug.
Crews are expected to keep following the outline of the fort through the summer, then map the findings and prepare a report over the winter. Brewster says more work on internal building foundations is likely next year, with contractors and engineers expected to help with the reconstruction.
Brewster says visitors can stop by to watch the excavation, and public archaeology days even give guests a chance to help screen soil for artifacts.
The overall project is expected to continue until November of 2028, the 250th anniversary of Fort Laurens. Brewster says that’s when the rebuilt portions of the fort should be complete.
