British-type felling axe
notes: label: Description
content: This long-bitted, British-type felling axe head was found in the excavation of a house in the fall of 1955 that used to be part of the Fort Crown Point settlement constructed in the 1760s. It has triangular lugs below a triangular eye, and a slight thickening of the flat poll which is now cracked. The head is deeply pitted from rust. Felling axes are specialized tools used for cutting down trees, splitting wood, and limbing trees.
label: Description
content: Prior to the house that ultimately sat at this site, this area on the banks of Lake Champlain was contested ground between the British and French. The French first built Fort St. Fredric at this site between 1734 and 1737, using it as a base for raids on British settlements. In 1759, the British were successful in taking Crown Point and constructed new fortifications which they called “His Majesty’s Fort of Crown Point.” It was one of the largest forts built by the British in North America, sprawling over seven acres.
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Hand Tools
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Richard J. Muzzrole
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MC.255592.01
label: accession number
content: 255592
label: catalog number
content: 255592.01
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Axe
label: Other Terms
content: Axe; Woodworking; Striking & Prizing Tools; Hand Tools
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal, steel (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 11.8 cm; 4 5/8 in