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Members of the Pennsylvania Society for Archeology under Bob Bonnage, President of the Beaver Falls Historical Society, and Bob Lackner, President of the Little Beaver Historical Society, donated their time to locate the outlines of Fort McIntosh, the first fort built by the United States north of the Ohio in 1778; the headquarters of the largest army to serve west of the Alleghenies during the Revolution; the site of the treaty which prepared the way for the opening of the Northwest Territory to orderly settlement; and the headquarters of the first United States Army in 1784-85.
No contemporary plans exist except the drawing by Surveyor Alexander McLean in 1783, and a sketch in the Columbian Magazine in 1790. Judge Daniel Agnew's map done in 1893 is taken from notes made when he first viewed the site in 1829, and he writes of traces of the bastions with a trench and swell running between them on the river side and of a small cobblestone paved area 120 feet away.
The facts that it was designed by the Chevalier Cambray indicates it followed the French style of a fort with comer bastions; and that Lee speaks of well hewn logs supports the theory that its walls were laid up rather than of palisades.
Otherwise the archeologists must rely on clues drawn from contemporary descriptions or recollections of soldiers some years later.
General McIntosh 1778 - "built a strong fort for the reception and security of prisoners and stores and barracks for a regiment".
Arthur Lee 1785 - "built of well hewn logs, with four bastions., its figure an irregular square, the face to the river being longer than the side to the land. It is about equal to a square of fifty yards. It is well built and secure against musketry".
General Irvine to Sgts. Lee and McClure 1783 - "you may use buildings outside the fort for your families".
Recollections of private soldiers: "substantial structure, side nearest the river being the longest ... four blockhouse at the corners in each of which was mounted a small field piece with two in the center of the fort ... nearly square, stockaded in, enclosing nearly two acres, relying of the river for water, the gate on the side opposite the river. Pickets (low outer walls) went on to each side to the water ... built on a barren and drew timber for half a mile.. . had about the same buildings as Fort Laurens, probably somewhat larger, and located on the right and left of the gate and on sides as well as front of fort".
One other clue - - excavations for home across the street from monument disclosed evidences of remains of what could have been the powder magazine.