Fort Defiance

Construction of Fort Defiance began in 1788 under William Lenoir and was completed in 1792. Lenoir, a Revolutionary War officer for whom the home is named, chose the site near the location of the earlier Fort Defiance, a frontier stronghold built before the Revolution and later abandoned. Originally surrounded by five outbuildings—a smokehouse, loom house, dairy, summer kitchen, and corn crib—the property operated as a working homestead, though only the smokehouse remains today.

Over time, the Lenoir family altered the house to accommodate changing needs, adding to and rearranging portions of the structure. A later restoration removed those additions and restored the home to its 1792 appearance. Parts of the building were also used as a lumber office and a U.S. Post Office, reflecting its continued role in community life.