HILLS FORT
"Preserving our American rural heritage"
HERITAGE MUSEUM
AMERICAN FARM
Our mission is to collect, preserve, and share an important part of our nation's history. The Hill's Fort Society is a non-profit tax exempt historic corporation. Hill's Fort played an important part in the opening of the Northwest Territory, making the fort a significant part of our heritage. With expanding settlements in the Illinois country in the early 1800s, it became necessary to build a string of forts to serve as military stations to protect the scattered settlers from Indian attacks. Three forts were built in Bond County: Jones, Lindley, and Hill's Fort. Hill's Fort may have started as early as 1806. The Fort locations appears on an 1808 survey map by Capt. Isaac HIll, leader of a team commissioned by Thomas Jefferson to survey the Illinois Territory. Hill's Fort was Bond County's County Seat from 1817-1821 until the seat was moved to Greenville. No longer useful as a fort or county seat, it was abandoned and fell into ruin. The site was lost over time and was rediscovered in 2001 by a local archeology student.
The American Farm Heritage Museum has a unique reconstruction of the fort. A cabin was the first building constructed, and the blockhouse such as it would have looked around the time of the War of 1812 is complete. A smaller cabin and palisade walls are next. The AFHM is working closely with the Hills Fort Society to help educate the public about the importance of this fort and its rich history.
For more about the Hill's Fort check out webpage
ANNUAL EVENTS
- Last weekend of July- Farm Heritage Days
- September 15,16,17- Living History Weekend
Contact us to schedule tours or other events:
Hill's Fort Society
P.O. Box 682
Greenville, IL 62246
ERIC Robert John
618-664-2722 | 618-377-9096 | 618-664-0283