Indian Fort Falls

GENESEO WEATHER

Indian Fort Nature Preserve is a fairly new publicly accessible slice of land along the Genesee River, just south of Geneseo. Its two gullies each create beautiful falls along the exposed thin layers of shale and limestone in a very natural forest setting. Much of the preserve was farmed up until 1960, when it was left to grow naturally to forest, a process known as succession. What was originally 12 acres of woodland, has now become 60, all along the hillside leading into the Genesee Valley.

The Preserve has historical significance as well. A 15th century Seneca palisaded fort existed here, using the two gullies as natural “walls” of defense. The land was first owned by a Revolutionary War veteran with ties to the Seneca himself, and the road leading in once took travelers to the first bridge across the Genesee south of Avon.

The Preserve has 4 well-organized trails that take visitors to each of the waterfalls, across the site of the old fort and along the Genesee.

The native Iroquois and their ancestors built mounds and palisaded forts across the land to defend themselves from neighboring tribes. Usually these structures were built in strategically defensive locations, such as high and commanding sites along bluffs, or even in valleys, on top of small hills or constructed mounds with a bank or stream to offer a strong barrier from attack. Some have been constructed in isolated and elevated areas surrounded by swamp and in dense forests. Nearly all of them, that have been found, are near a source of fresh water and often near a hunting ground.

The forts were constructed by clearing a patch of woodland with fire and axes, collecting logs and using them to construct an encircling picket around a mound. The logs were held up by dirt embankments. Later on, the use of spade shovels, brought by European settlers, enabled the Iroquois to dig deeper trenches for the logs, resulting in a stronger barrier without dirt embankments.

Some of these forts were used for long periods of time. Digs have uncovered artwork, pipes, clay jars, tools, and remnants of underground food caches. The more permanent structures tended to be much larger than the temporary ones. They were generally used as protection for the elders, women, and children when a nearby village was under attack, or when warriors were on a campaign and the homestead was lacking protection.

As early as 1792, a large fort near Livonia was discovered along Conesus outlet, when John Bosley tilled his newly settled land atop a hill and uncovered numerous artifacts, including tomahawks, axes, iron tools and trinkets. So much was unearthed, that they were melted down in enough quantity, that they were able to craft parts to build Bosley’s Mill.

Several of these discoveries were made along the Genesee Valley, including this site, which is mentioned in the 1905 book “History of Livingston County”:

In the wood lot on Mr. Austen’s “Sweet Briar” farm, twenty rods to the west of the highway leading from Geneseo to Mt Morris, and about the same distance south of the road running to Jones bridge, is a small aboriginal inclosure embracing 2 acres. Its outlines are still defined. It was most likely used as a temporary abode by the ancient Builders while they were cultivating, from year to year, a favorable spot on the productive flats just below.

The site consisted of two rows of palisades supported by dirt mounds (indicating it was constructed prior to the mass-introduction of European spade shovels.) The palisade walls were on the east and west sides of the fort, both running north-south. Palisades covering the north and south sides of the stronghold were not needed as the two gullies served as natural barriers. The fort was constructed and used by the Seneca in the 15th century. The mounds that held up the palisades can still be seen today.

Jones Bridge (Jones Bridge Rd, being the dead end road that the parking lot is located on) was the first bridge over the Genesee River, south of Avon. Originally constructed in 1816, it was destroyed by flooding in 1831, and then rebuilt again in 1832-1833. The bridge was most likely named after Captain Horatio Jones (or his kin). Jones (from Pennsylvania) was a member of the Revolutionary War’s Bedford unit in 1779. He was captured by the Seneca and taken to Caneadea, NY. During his capture he became fluent in the Seneca language and familiar with their customs. After the war, he was appointed as an interpreter to the Six Nations by George Washington, and facilitated the Treaty of Canandaigua in 1794 and the Treaty of Big Tree in 1797. In 1970 he settled on the land here on a farmstead that came to be known as “Sweet Briar.”

The Genesee Land Trust acquired the land in 2011 and created this preserve.

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Genesee Valley Conservancy
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