Susquehanna Township near Harrisburg in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Slavery at Fort Hunter
From 1786 to the early 1830s, over twenty enslaved people lived and worked at Fort Hunter. Their parents and ancestors had been stolen from Africa. The McAllister family, who created all of Fort Hunters earliest surviving buildings, was one of the largest slave owners in Dauphin County. Along with free laborers, Blacks worked on the Fort Hunter plantation-farming, cooking, and running the dairy. Among them were at least two families, the Craigs and the Jenkins. At that time Fort Hunter included a farm, a tavern, a distillery and a mill.
Sall Craig fled from Fort Hunter bondage in 1828 when she was about 60. Although owned by the McAllisters since she was a girl, they had planned to sell her because of financial reversals. The sales advertisement described her as strong and active of her age an excellent washer, baker and cook and understands the management of a dairy and soap boiling. By then small communities of free Blacks had formed in nearby Harrisburg and Halifax. Perhaps they provided aid and refuge to Sall, but nothing more is known of her story.
Known enslaved people that once lived at Fort Hunter
Cato Charles Andrew Craig Eliza Craig Lucy Craig Sall Craig Daniel George Hoofnagle Hetty Gray Isaac Jack son of Cato James Jem Judy Hallie Jenkins Jack Jenkins
this page online
[Captions:]
This woman ran away from slavery, just like Sall Craig had.
In 2014, ground penetrating radar identified a total of nine graves, four of which are unmarked at the African American cemetery that was once part of the Fort Hunter property.
Erected by Dauphin County Parks & Recreation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Agriculture • Forts and Castles • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1786.
Location. 40° 20.536′ N, 76° 54.518′ W. Marker is near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in Dauphin County. It is in Susquehanna Township. It can be reached from North Front Street 0.2 miles south of Fort Hunter Road, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 107 Fort Hunter Rd, Harrisburg PA 17110, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in South-Central Pennsylvania, specifically in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, and in the Susquehanna Valley. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: United States Slavery (here, next to this marker); Pennsylvania Slavery (here, next to this marker); Fort Hunter (a few steps from this marker); The Centennial Barn (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Fort Hunter
Credits. This page was last revised on August 4, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 4, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 109 times since then and 6 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 4, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
