Long Island's Hidden Past: Forgotten British outposts on LI

<p>Author David Griffin has been in search of a forgotten British outpost located somewhere near the crossroads of Old Jericho.</p>

News 12 Staff

Oct 4, 2017, 9:00 AM

Updated 2,565 days ago

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When the Revolutionary War broke out and New York City had fallen in 1776, the forces of Great Britain developed a network of forts along the length of Long Island to defend the New York area and create a front to Patriot forces across the sound in Connecticut.
Author David Griffin has been in search of a forgotten British outpost located somewhere near the crossroads of Old Jericho.
"There is enough records to show it was here and in the area where we are today," says Griffin.
The British stronghold was only known as Fort Nonsense - a name given most likely by the locals who were peace-loving Quakers.
Griffin, who has written a book on the lost British forts of Long Island, says finding information about Fort Nonsense has been frustrating.
"I suspect that they did everything they could to remove physical remembrances of the British being here," he says.
But after years of research, Griffin says he believes the spot in Old Jericho is where a British outpost was strategically located, because it was between Redcoat forts in Jamaica and Oyster Bay.
A revolutionary era house on Old Jericho Turnpike is believed to be where the British officers quartered.
Griffin says rediscovering Fort Nonsense represents the modern day battle to preserve Long Island's history.