Hager's Fort

 (1739-1760s) - A fortified settler home established in 1739 in present day Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland. Named Hager's Fort after Jonathan Hager. Abandoned as a fortification in the 1760s.

History of Hager's Fort
Established in 1739 as a fortified settler house by German immigrant Jonathan Hager, who is considered to be the founder of Hagerstown. On 5 Jun 1739, Hager purchased 200 acres of land from Daniel Dulany for 44 pounds. He called his land "Hager's Fancy" and began construction on a 3-1/2 story stone home. The house was situated over two cool springs which kept the home cool in the summer and provided a secure water supply should the house come under attack.

The home was built with carefully fitted fieldstones forming twenty-two inch thick walls with a large central fireplace. The basement was built with rifle loopholes for defense. The home was almost impregnable and could serve as a local refuge and frontier fort in case of Indian attack.

The property was sold in 1745 to Jacob Rohrer for 200 pounds. The house was stockaded in 1755. Probably abandoned as a fortification sometime in the 1760s.

Current Status
In 1944 the home was acquired by the Washington County Historical Society and restored to its former state. The house was presented to the City of Hagerstown in 1954 and opened to the public in 1962.

Limited hours, only open on Fridays and Saturdays when we visited.

See Also:

Sources:

Links:
 * North American Forts - Hager's Fort
 * Maryland Historical Trust - Hager House
 * Hagerstown - Jonathan Hager House & Museum