Fort Collier and George Washington in Winchester historical markers

Winchester, Virginia > Fort Collier

Side-by side state of Virginia historical markers across from the Fort Collier Civil War Center show the layers of history found in Winchester. One talks about George Washington and his long relationship with Winchester, including the building of Fort Loudon and the establishment of his first headquarters here. The second tells about a fort built for the Civil War which was involved in the 1864 Third Battle of Winchester.

The Fort Collier and George Washington in Winchester historical markers on the north side of Winchester, Virginia, across from the Fort Collier site.

From the markers:

A4
Fort Collier

Just to the east, a redoubt
known as Fort Collier
was built by Joseph E.
Johnston in 1861. Early’s
left rested here during the the

Thired Battle of Winchester,
September 19, 1864.

Department of Conservation and Historic Resources 1988

Q4-c
George Washington
in Winchester

In Mar. 1748, George Washington first visited Winchester, then known as Fredericktown, as a
surveyor for Lord Fairfax. Washington purchased
property in Winchester in 1753 and was an
unsuccessful candidate for a House of Burgesses
seat here in 1755. Winchester served as Washington’s
headquarters from 1755 to 1758 while he com-
manded Virginia troops on the western frontier
during the French and Indian War. He was also
involved with the construction of Fort Loudoun here
and a series of other frontier forts authorized by
the Virginia General Assembly during this period.
He represented Frederick County in the Virginia
House of Burgesses from 1758 to 1765.

Department of Historic Resources 2005

Location

Fort Collier is on the east site of Martinsburg Pike (U.S. 11) just north of Brooke Road on the north side of Winchester, Virginia. (39°12’06.5″N 78°09’13.3″W) The markers are on the west side of U.S. 11, just north of the intersection with Brooke Road, across the street from the Fort Collier site