Museum Collections

This ax head was excavated by the Field Exploration Committee from a refuse pit outside the south ramparts of Fort Washington. Built in the summer of 1776 by the Continental Army, the fort extended west along 183rd Street from Fort Washington Avenue to Pinehurst Avenue. The fort was captured on November 16, 1776 by British and Hessian forces, and was occupied by them until evacuation in 1783. The ax was probably used to cut wood for buildings and fortifications.