Forting was a key part of life for settlers in the 1700s. When there was a risk of Indian attacks, families would leave their homes and stay in nearby refuge forts for safety, bringing food, clothes, and valuables if they had time.

Families usually stayed in the forts for days or weeks, mostly between April and October when attacks were more likely. In winter, attacks were rare due to harsh travel conditions.

Life in the forts was crowded and difficult—sometimes up to 200 people lived in small spaces, and diseases like smallpox could spread. Still, the forts offered needed protection.

Refuge forts were first used during the French and Indian War and became more common during the Revolutionary War. After the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794 ended Indian resistance in the Ohio Valley, the need for forts faded.