Thank You for Visiting Fort Halifax Park Online!
This website will provide you with a Park overview of the newly rediscovered French and Indian War Fort (1756), Fort Halifax, its history, the 1800's farmstead, the nature park, as well as information about past, current, and upcoming activities. Additionally, there is information about the non-profit membership organization, Friends of Fort Halifax Park Inc.. The Friends members, volunteers, and partners serve as the support group for owner, Halifax Township, assisting with maintenance, development, management, and the educational, historical, nature, and event programing of Historic Fort Halifax Park and Preserve. Historic Fort Halifax Park and Preserve is 174 acres of passive recreation with picnic areas, the scenic Susquehanna River and Armstrong Creek, walking trails, gardens, and more. Visitors welcome dawn to dusk.
Discover Fort Halifax
Fort Halifax, originally known as "the camp at Armstrong's", was built in 1756 with the purpose of providing safe shelter along the Susquehanna River for supply bateaux's and pack trains passing to and from Fort Hunter (Harrisburg) and Fort Augusta (Sunbury). Due to the French and Indian War, settlers in this area regularly encountered deadly conflicts along this route. Fort Halifax was built as a solution to the problem.
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Meetings, Events, and News
Friends of Fort Halifax Park Inc. - Board Meetings2024 Board Meeting Dates: All meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of each month in the Yeager House meeting room at 6pm - unless otherwise indicated below. Everyone is welcome!
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EventsCurrent 2024 Schedule: Attendance at events is free to the public. FoFHP does fundraising, and solicits grants, sponsorships, and donations to cover costs.
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Current News
FoFHP Plans and Goals - FoFHP members did more outreach in 2023 and expect to do more this year too! We have enjoyed meeting so many Fort Halifax Park and FoFHP supporters!
Many preservation, history, environmental, and education initiatives and programs are in the planning stages for the park. In addition to our successful annual Colonial Festival held every first Saturday in May and 5B's Pollinator and Garden Faire the third Saturday of June, we are now offering a new history "Campfire Talk" speaker series. We began offering this programming in September 2023. FoFHP hosted another (June '23) successful three week archaeology field school with Juniata College whose field school students found additional artifacts and areas of historic Fort Halifax (1756). Also, in June '23 we hosted an educational skilled trades partnership with Dauphin County Technical School where students renovated and/or repaired three park outbuildings. Look for them to be back in June '24! We would like to expand and upgrade the trails, meadows, and gardens too. Would you like to help and be part of all these exciting programs and future plans? It's easy to become a member. Feel free to contact us via email or phone 223-237-0988, with any questions you may have. Thank you for your support! Friends of Fort Halifax Park, Inc. receives Community Initiative Award:
Read about this award that FoFHP, Inc. is honored to have received here. Thank you to the PA State Historic Preservation Office, Joe Baker, Dr. Jonathan Burns, our members, and community! |
Juniata College "Rediscovery of Fort Halifax" Annual Archaeology Field School Projects
Our 2023 Motto was "May The Fort Be With You", and it was!
Read our Blog posts... more coming soon "Find the Fort" became "Found the Fort!"
Read all about it here! |
Additional News of Interest:
- Fort Halifax Park chosen as Preservation Pennsylvania - PA at Risk site! Read more here!
- National Register of Historic Places - FoFHP received official notification in December 2020 that the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) has designated Fort Halifax Park and Farmstead eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. This designation qualifies Fort Halifax Park (Halifax Township, Owner) for preservation grants that could help with the stabilization, restoration, and preservation of the 1800's Schweitzer Bank Barn, companion Farmhouse, and all outbuildings. The Sycamore Allee, part of Route 147 that bisects Fort Halifax is already on the National Register.