Fort Randolph, West Virginia — History & Visitor Guide

Fort Randolph (Point Pleasant, West Virginia)

Point Pleasant · West Virginia · American Revolutionary War

Quick BriefFort Randolph stood at the confluence of the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers in present-day Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and was built in 1776 on the site of an earlier fort from Dunmore's War. The fort is best remembered as the place where the famous Shawnee Chief Cornstalk was murdered in 1777.

Open to visitors

History & Significance

One of the most important military outposts of the Trans-Allegheny frontier, Fort Randolph was constructed in 1776 under the direction of Captain Matthew Arbuckle and garrisoned by a company of troops sent from Pittsburgh. The stockade was named for Peyton Randolph of Williamsburg, president of the Second Continental Congress.

It replaced Fort Blair, built in 1774 following the victory over Chief Cornstalk and the Shawnee at the Battle of Point Pleasant and torched by Indians in 1775. The fort, along with Fort Pitt and Fort Henry, was intended to prevent Indian raids into western Virginia and Pennsylvania.

In November 1777, Cornstalk made a diplomatic visit to Fort Randolph to discuss a rumored expedition. Captain Arbuckle decided to detain Cornstalk and several other Shawnees as hostages.

When an American militiaman was killed outside the fort by Indians on November 10, his enraged companions charged into the fort and murdered Cornstalk and the other three Shawnee prisoners. On May 20, 1778, about 200 Shawnee under Chief Blackfish, Wyandots and Mingos under Dunquat, the Wyandot "Half King", surrounded Fort Randolph and began a week-long siege.

Fort Randolph was abandoned by the Americans in 1779, and Indians burned the fort after it was abandoned. The fort was rebuilt nearby in 1785 during the growth of violence, which led to the Northwest Indian War. A replica of the fort was built in 1973–74 and dedicated on October 10, 1974, the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Point Pleasant.

Key Facts

StateWest Virginia

LocationPoint Pleasant

Established1776

Decommissioned1779

War / eraAmerican Revolutionary War

Current statusMuseum / Historic Site

Coordinates38.83765, -82.12202

Map

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🧳 Visiting

What you’ll see when you visit:

1776 Revolutionary War fortification at Ohio-Kanawha River confluence
1974 replica fort structure at Krodel Park
Historic 1778 siege site and Chief Cornstalk memorial
Exhibits on frontier defense and Native American conflict

Best time to visitSpring (April-May) and fall (September-October) offer mild temperatures; summers are warm and humid, winters can be cold and damp along the river valley.

Getting thereFly into HTS (Tri-State Airport) near Huntington, approximately 65 km from Point Pleasant; the fort is accessible by car from there.

From the nearest major airportYeager Airport (CRW)🚗 60 mi by road⏱️ ≈ 1 hr 18 min drive

Fort Randolph (Point Pleasant, West Virginia)

History & Significance

Key Facts

Map

🧳 Visiting

Sources

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