Butler County, Alabama
Gary’s Stockade was one of several defensive structures established along the Old Federal Road during the unsettled spring of 1818. Built by Thomas Gary on his own property, the stockade offered protection to nearby settlers until territorial officials authorized the construction of Fort Dale approximately two miles to the east.
Historical Marker
Gary’s Stockade
Early in March 1818, prompted by hostile Indian threats, Thomas Gary built a stockade or block-house on his property along the Federal Road in what is now northwest Butler County, about two miles west of where Fort Dale was afterwards built. Because Gary charged protection fees, dissatisfied settlers petitioned the Alabama territorial government for another fort. The Ogly-Stroud Massacre of March 13, 1818, brought Capt. Sam Dale and his militia from Fort Claiborne to defend settlers in this area. When the militia constructed Fort Dale, people ceased using Gary’s stockade. Thomas Gary died April 23, 1818, and is buried in the Fort Dale Cemetery. His is the oldest marked grave in Butler County.
Erected by the Butler County Historical Society and the Alabama Historical Association, 2018.
Gary’s Stockade and the Old Federal Road
The Old Federal Road was more than a route for mail coaches and travelers. During Alabama’s territorial period, it also carried military forces, settlers, supplies, and news through a frontier that could quickly become dangerous.
Thomas Gary built his stockade beside the road in March 1818, during a time of renewed fear among settlers in the region. A stockade or blockhouse offered a place where families could gather when trouble threatened, but Gary’s decision to charge protection fees caused dissatisfaction within the community.
After the Ogly-Stroud Massacre on March 13, Captain Sam Dale and his militia traveled from Fort Claiborne to defend the settlers. The militia soon constructed Fort Dale, a government-supported fort approximately two miles east of Gary’s property. Once Fort Dale became available, settlers stopped using Gary’s Stockade.
Thomas Gary did not live long enough to see what the surrounding area would become. He died on April 23, 1818, only weeks after building the stockade. He was buried in Fort Dale Cemetery, where his grave is recognized as the oldest marked grave in Butler County.
No remains of Gary’s Stockade are known to stand today, but this marker records another important chapter in the history of the Old Federal Road and the families who lived along Alabama’s early frontier.
Video
Watch the Old Federal Road Project video about Gary’s Stockade:
Location
County: Butler County
State: Alabama
GPS Coordinates: 31.87839, -86.70742