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TOPIC: Ft. Machault & Hoge Island-Allegheny River
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/e466e7c5eef3f5c2?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Fri, Oct 24 2008 8:04 pm
From: "Dale Luthringer"


ENTS,

On 9/5/08 I had a trip to Franklin, PA to research a canoe purchase for
the park. After I was finished, I took some time to scout the old
Ft.Machault site and Hoge Island. Ft. Machault was one of the original
French forts built on the Allegheny River drainage during the French &
Indian War:

An artist's rendition of the French Fort Machault and the barracks erected nearby.
http://www.explorepahistory.com/displayimage.php?imgId=1664

http://www.brigniagara.org/Warforempire.htm

"In the spring of 1753, French forces departed Montreal to establish a
chain of forts in the Ohio country. Originally ordered to go to the
Chautauqua area, they received new orders changing their destination to
Presqu'ile (modern day Erie, PA). The French force arrived at Presqu'ile
on May 3, 1753. They began work preparing the site for the fort on a
bluff overlooking the peninsula and Lake Erie, near Mill Creek. The
French proceeded to build another fort at la riviere au le Boeufs
(present day Waterford, PA). From this spot the French could transport
their supplies by la riviere au Boeufs (also known as French Creek) to
Fort Machault (Venango) and the Ohio River where they would build Fort
Duquesne (present day Pittsburgh)."

"1754
-The French reinforce their forces in the Ohio via lakes Ontario and
Erie and build Fort Machault (present day Franklin, PA) and Fort
Duquesne (Pittsburgh).
-Washington Surrenders Fort Necessity."


There is no visible structure of Ft. Machault today. If one can read
the lay of the land, and has some knowledge on how these forts were set
up, one kind find the site with its associated terrain. I believe it
was located on French Creek, just upstream from the confluence of the
Allegheny River. The entire site is now a "community park".

Just up-river from the confluence of French Creek and the Allegheny
River is Hoge Island. I wasn't able to get on the island, but was able
to observe some of its tree species. mainly silver maple. Small stature
silver maple was located on the lower terrace, with larger silver maple
dominating the upper terrace. From a distance, it looked like the
silver maple on the upper terrace would not have significant heights.
Other species visible on the island include sycamore and black willow
with Japanese knotweed on the river edge.

The old Ft. Machault site was a nice walk, but invasive species were
evident: Japanese knotweed, privet, tree of heaven. It was nice to
measure two new species for our Allegheny River drainage tally:
boxelder, fire cherry. Tree of heaven played games with me in terms of
its ID. I never saw them this big before (medium tree sized). The
sumaras were quite distinctive. I wanted to call them black walnut
something fierce, but there were no nuts, and they certainly didn't have
the bark:

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=7

Thankfully, I haven't seen these yet at Cook Forest. I didn't measure
any, since they were heavily guarded by poison ivy on the ground and
crawling up their trunks, but they were decent in size, say ~14" DBH x
~60ft high. Next time I'm in the area I'll try to be a little more
persistent and see if I can get a decent height for one of these.

Also thought I'd add a fire cherry to our PA list at 0.9ft CBH x 24.3ft
high. Looks like a new state champ. first one on the list though.

Here's the day's tally:

Species CBH Height Comments

Boxelder            4.7               20.2
Butternut           8.8(3ft up)     72.1+
Fire cherry .      9 24.              3 41   23.391N x 79 49.249W
Honey locust      10                .4 73
Silver maple      N/A                87.1+
Silver maple     ~20(2x)           91.1
Sycamore          N/A               90.9
Sycamore          N/A               98.8
Tree of heaven   ~3.1               ~60

Dale

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Ft. Machault & Hoge Island-Allegheny River
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/e466e7c5eef3f5c2?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 5 ==
Date: Sat, Oct 25 2008 6:08 am
From: "Will Blozan"

Dale,

Cool stuff! I like the appearance of tree-of-heaven but not the
circumstances of their presence. Remember the fire cherries at Tionesta we
saw with Jess? They were a good bit larger.

Will F. Blozan
President, Eastern Native Tree Society
President, Appalachian Arborists, Inc.

== 2 of 5 ==
Date: Sat, Oct 25 2008 7:06 am
From: djluthringer@pennswoods.net


Ahh,

Tionesta, I forgot about those. I can't see them in my head though... can you
describe their rough location? Maybe that'll get the memory juices flowing.

Dale

== 3 of 5 ==
Date: Sat, Oct 25 2008 7:20 am
From: "Will Blozan"

Dale,

They were on the edge of the tornado swath and along the roads. I recall
some where we parked to go see measure the huge hemlock.

Will F. Blozan

President, Eastern Native Tree Society
President, Appalachian Arborists, Inc.

== 4 of 5 ==
Date: Sat, Oct 25 2008 11:55 am
From: djluthringer@pennswoods.net

Yep,

I got you. That's by the main parking loop. Next time I'm up there I'll look
for them.

Dale

== 5 of 5 ==
Date: Sat, Oct 25 2008 8:03 pm
From: "Jess Riddle"


Dale,

For one of those Tionesta fire cherries I got 2'11" cbh by 51.4' tall.

Jess

TOPIC: Fw: [ENTS] Ft. Machault & Hoge Island-Allegheny River
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/e1c7ebacb99eaa96?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sat, Oct 25 2008 8:34 am
From: "Edward Frank"


ENTS,

I have been looking on the internet regarding Ft. Machault. I sent Dale an individual note saying that the location he described may not have been the site of the fort. Dale replied: "According to map, you're absolutely correct. I can't locate the source at the moment, but one of the NW PA history books I read I believe said that the original Ft. Machault was located just up French Creek, not directly in view of the Allegheny River. It was soon abandoned and another re-built in the more strategic location as noted in your map. It was later burned by the French as they retreated up French Creek towards Presque Isle after the fall of Ft. Duquesne. Also, the site I explained might be better defined as where Ft. Venango was located. Burnt by Indians during Pontiac's Rebellion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Venango

In all, it's kind of confusing with three-four different forts built in the same general area. Please post this and your pics/links to the ENTS list. I've seen the historical marker to Ft. Machault. The entire site has been entirely built over, be it roads or houses. The canoe outfitter I was visiting has part of his business actually located on this site. Please post this and your pics/links to the ENTS list."



Wilkepedia - Map of Fort Machault
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Machault



http://www.explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=153
Credit: From A History of Venango County, 1879 Courtesy the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (the marker says the location is one block south of Elk and 8th (322).



This 1878 map shows the positions of Fort Venango, Fort Machault and Fort Franklin at the confluence of French Creek and the Allegheny River, at what is now the city of Franklin, Pennsylvania. Fort Venango's design is detailed in the diagram on the left.
http://www.explorepahistory.com/displayimage.php?imgId=1653



From Terraserver-usa this is the location described on the marker:

Ed Frank