Fort Johnstown (Fulton County Jail), Johnstown, NY
Audio Excerpt | Current Photo | Historic Picture

Interview with: Mr. Noel Levee, Johnstown City Historian
Interviewed by: Ryan Callery, Cassie Cirillo, Justine Case, Christopher Lavigne, Jennifer Jurica and Deb Callery
Interview date: April 24, 2001

Transcript of audio excerpt:

Deb Callery: So, it started out as actually a fort?

Noel Levee: As a jail. (as a jail) The fortification during, when the war started and they decided to fortify it. One legend, and I don't know if its true or not; but some of the loyalists who had left the area, their houses were dismantled and the wood was used to build the fortifications. But they also claim that the fortifications went around it and I don't know the dimensions, but I know on the diagonal corners there was little blockhouses or guardhouses on each corner and the front gate of it faced Montgomery Street.

Jennifer Jurica: So the jail actually had a wall around it?

Noel Levee: And that wall probably came over what is now Perry Street. If you look at that ground, I'm sure that ground was leveled off and they just built those side streets and all that. I think Montgomery just went right down to William and down to the end.

Deb Callery: Was Prospect Street there yet?

Noel Levee: I doubt it. You can see the banks there, too, so I'm assuming that property was all just big flat land and that was the highest point.

 

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