Thank you to Kip Lytle for presenting an outstanding program about the “Forts of Northeast Indiana” at the historical societies’s fall meeting.
In the early pioneer days, the area of northeast Indiana had many resources. One of them was the beaver. Their pelts brought a nice price to trappers and were used for halts, gloves, coats and other items.
Kip explained that the first fort in the area was built in 1722. It was known as Fort Miami, and it was the first of two French palisade fort built near the Miami Indian Village of Kekionga. It stood at today’s Guildlin Park in Fort Wayne near the Sherman Blvd. Bridge and West Superior Street on the St. Mary’s River. It had a garrison of 20-30 men. In 1747, English-allied Huron warriors under chief Nicholas found the fort undermanned and destroyed it.
The French built a second Post Miami in 1750 that stood at today’s intersection of St. Joseph Blvd. and Delaware Street in Fort Wayne. The French eventually surrendered this fort to the British after the French and Indian War of 1760. In 1763, the fort was captured during Pontiac’s Rebellion and destroyed.
In 1794 the first American military post was built in the autumn following General Anthony Wayne’s victory at Fallen Timbers. This fort stood at the intersection of East Berry and Clay Streets and overlooked the Three Rivers. The garrison normally consisted of about 100 men and their families. In 1798, Colonel Thomas Hunt became commander of Fort Wayne. Due to the poor condition of Wayne’s original fort, Hunt erected a new fort 100 yards north to the corner of East Main and Clay Streets. The new fort contained multiple guard houses. During the War of 1812, this fort survived a sustained siege and kept the frontier from falling to the British.
During the years of 1815-1816, Major John Whistler constructed the third and last fort on the same site. This fort was designed so that a garrison of only 50-75 men could defend it against an attack. It was the most sophisticated all-wooden forts ever built in North America. After the War of 1812, a military post was no longer necessary. On April 19, 1819, the fort was decommissioned, and the last soldiers departed. The Junior Officer’s Quarters was the last building still standing. It was finally torn down in 1852.
In 1976, a replica of the post built by Whistler in 1815-1816 was constructed. This present day fort is located less than a quarter of a mile from the original site.
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