Friends of Fort Harrod Guardians of the Fort

SPIES OF FORT HARROD

2015 GEORGE ROGERS CLARK POWDER RUN

We left Fort Harrod at 1:00 pm and first walked to Diamond Point. From there, we walked down Price Avenue and turned West on Broadway. We paused at the James Harrod Memorial Bridge to pay our respects. Then we walked West on Broadway to the point of the original North Gate of Old Fort Harrod, entered where the Fort would have stood and concluded our journey. Back to the George Rogers Blockhouse, a fire and some coffee and donuts.

On January 10, 2015 the "Spies of Fort Harrod" re-created the last one mile leg of the famous powder run by George Rogers Clark, James Harrod and about 30 riflemen from Fort Harrod who carried 500 pounds of black powder from Limestone Creek near Mayesville back to Fort Harrod in early January 1777. This powder saved the state of Kentucky, all three forts in Kentucky and every settler in and around the forts.

We formed up at noon in the George Rogers Clark blockhouse, which is located at the Southeast corner of the Fort. It was cold, about 19 degrees the entire time. But, it was sunny and low wind, so we all counted our blessings.

All of us were wrapped in many layers, it was five layers for me. David Coleman, Park Manager, had a big fire built in the stone fireplace and the place was quite toasty. There was coffee, hot cider and donuts!

About 10 of us formed up. There were also several amateur historians present, several of which braved the weather to follow us the whole way, taking pictures and asking questions. Clay Jackson from the Danville Advocate Messenger took many pictures and made a video of John Curry telling the story behind Clark's Powder Run. Max Searcy from the Harrodsburg Herald was there taking photos as well.

The morning started great! I had a chair next to the fire with some coffee and John Curry began telling of the story of Clark's Powder Run and its rival, the Patterson Powder Run from Fort Boonesbourough which failed.

For more of the story from John Curry, click the following link:

http://friendsoffortharrod.com/?display=45FB7DA8-D016-420A-9F95-EC205FC657DC

Upon our arrival back at the Fort, we stacked the powder in front of the Fort and all loaded our flintlocks. We then fired a 10 shot volley to honor as heroes George Rogers Clark, James Harrod and the 30 riflemen.

GEORGE ROGERS CLARK MEMORIAL

DEDICATED 1934 BY PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

INSCRIPTION: "THE FIRST PERMANENT SETTLEMENT OF THE WEST"