SUNBURY - The banks of the Susquehanna River in the city will once again be "fortified" - on a one-sixth size scale, at least.
Members of the Northumberland County Historical Society, several in period dress despite the heat, gathered on the front lawn of the Hunter House, 1150 N. Front St., Tuesday morning for a ground-breaking ceremony for the historic undertaking.
They plan to replicate Fort Augusta with a model - similar to what existed from 1939 to 1981 - at the exact location where the real fort stood in 1756. It was the largest fort built by the Pennsylvania's colonial government when it was constructed.
"Fort Augusta is pretty much forgotten. The model will give people, especially children, a chance to see what it was really like," said historical society member John Moore. "It was an important defense for the entire region in both the French and Indian War and the American Revolution."
The 1939 scale model, which was 32 feet wide, was erected by the federal Works Projects Administration (WPA). It was removed in the early 1980s by the state following years of neglect.
People will be able to walk around the model and use an observation deck to look inside the walls of the fort, according to Scott A. Heintzelman, president of the Northumberland County Historical Society.
Baer Wolfe Architects, Sunbury, designed the model, working from old plans and diagrams.
Zartman Construction Inc., Northumberland, will begin construction immediately, and plans to finish in September.
"We have the original WPA buildings, which were restored by the society, and will be used again in the model," Heintzelman said.
It will include reproductions of soldiers, barracks and other buildings. One of the restored structures can already be seen along Front Street.
"I think people forget what rich history we have in our region, and this will help bring it back to life," Barbara Spaventa, one of those in period dress, said after the ceremony. "It is a source of pride for our community that we have in our backyard. To have it preserved is most important."
The organization has adopted "Get Fort-ified" as its fundraising slogan and is selling T-shirts, sweatshirts and other fort-related memorabilia. The society will also accept contributions. A minimum of $125,000 must be raised to complete the project.
The society received a matching grant from the Sunbury-based Degenstein Foundation so that every dollar contributed will be matched.
The project is the largest financial undertaking in the 85-year history of the society and the project is "important in protecting" its viability in years to come, Heintzelman said.