Fort Roberdeau was built during the American Revolutionary War in 1778.

The purpose of the fort was to produce lead, which is why it is nicknamed “The Lead Mine Fort.” The lead was used to make musket balls and rifle slugs for the Continental Army.

Fort Roberdeau is unique for its horizontal logs. Most forts built during the Revolutionary War were built with vertical log posts dug into the ground.

The bedrock was too hard to dig deep enough to support vertical posts, so the logs were stacked horizontally on a stone foundation instead.

Fort Roberdeau has four diamond-shaped corners called bastions. The bastions make it easier to defend the fort because it is easier to see all sides.

Fort officers never knew how many people might be available to defend they fort. As few as eight people – two people stationed at each bastion – could keep watch around the fort.

The soldiers at the fort would have a ceremony to raise the flag over the fort at dawn and lower it at dusk.

Flying a flag above the fort let the people around know who was in control of the fort.