History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

20 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1723.
an eiiem5\ Authorized l)y tlie Legislature on the 37''' of
December, 1733, it was built on " Equivalent Lands" in the
town of Brattleboro, on the west bank of the Connecticut
Biver, on what is now known as "Brooks Farm,"^ Col.
Stoddard was ordered to superintend the building of the
fort. In Februarj^ 1734, he writes that he had committed
the work to Lieut. Timothy Dwight of Northampton, who
had under him a detail of "'4 carpenters, 12 soldiers with
narrow axes, and 3 teams." The structure was built of
yellow jmie logs, hewn and laid up after the manner of an
ordinary log house. This blockhouse was about one hundred
eighty feet square, houses being built against the
walls, leaving the center open and unobstructed, for a
parade-ground.
Opposition to the Allusious in the correspondence of Col.
Buiidiug of the Stoddarcl, indicate that there was consid-
Blockhouse. ,1 ... • -\t j.n j. •£ x •
erable opposition m JMorthampton, it not in
other places, to the establishment of this fort. In Novem-
ber, Col. Stoddard writes, " Many find fault with it (the
blockhouse), some out of ignorance, and more out of per-
verseiiess." The op]iosition, however, amounted to but little,
and was not long continued. It had some effect upon
the political fortunes of Col. Stoddard, and contributed
largely to his defeat in the contest for representative in that
year, though dissatisfaction with the Sewer Commission,
already noted, ^ had perhaps as great an influence. The
fort was of great value during the war, and served an ex-
cellent purpose. Col. Stoddard frequently alludes to its
utility. Writing to Gov. Dummer, in August, he says —
:
'
' No party of the enemy hath passed the fort without being
discovered, which has been the means of preserving many
lives." For some time after its erection it was known as
the ''Blockhouse," but was afterwards named "Fort
Dummer," by Capt. Dwight, in honor of the then acting-
Governor of the Province. Capt. Dwight. with a company
of fifty-five men, held command of the fort during the
war. According to his report, its cost in labor and mate-
rials was £356.4.1.
1 Sheldon's History of Deerflekl, vol. 1, p. 407.
2 Vol. 1, p. 521.