- Joined
- Jun 21, 2012
- Location
- Louisville, KY
Fort Wayne is a masonry fort located in Detroit, Michigan along the Detroit River. This square fort features 4 bastions, one at each corner. Outside the primary fort there is also a battery located beyond the eastern face of the fort that fronts the river and Canada. After receiving funding and prepping the ground in 1842 construction on the fort began in 1843 under Lt. Montgomery Meigs who also helped build another "forgotten fort" Fort Mifflin. Meigs would go on to serve as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and for a time served as Quartermaster General of the Army. Although today the fort is a masonry work the original was an earthwork fort reinforced with cedar. The fort was completed shortly after the turn of the decade and was officially named Fort Wayne after Major General "Mad" Anthony Wayne.
Following it's completion Fort Wayne was placed under caretaker status and would remain that way for over a decade until the outbreak of the American Civil War. With the threat of invasion from Canada still looming Fort Wayne, along with other Great Lakes military posts, was garrisoned almost immediately.
Fort Wayne was the main recruiting site for the state of Michigan with various regiments mustering at the post. In fact, the fort became so crowded during the war that buildings had to be built outside the fort to house troops. This is evident by the photo above. The brick houses in the top of the picture were all utilized by the military although most were built after the war to replace wood structures that were built during the war. Even though this extra housing did solve some of the problems for the crowded fort it was not until steamboats were tied up along the riverbank near the fort that all troops could be housed comfortably.
For the remainder of the war the fort would continue to serve as a recruiting center for the Union army. One of the more famous soldiers to receive training at Fort Wayne was Union soldier Frank Thompson who was actually a female named Sarah Edmonds. Edmonds would serve with the army until she became ill later in the final years of the war. The fort also saw major improvements during the war with its walls being rebuilt to their current form.
(Stone barracks built inside the walls of Fort Wayne, completed in 1848)
Following the war work continued on Fort Wayne however with the advances made in new artillery illustrated during the war against other masonry fortifications the fort was all but obsolete. In the 1880s the wooden structures outside the fort were torn down and rebuilt as comfortable brick structures as mentioned before. During both World Wars the fort served as a logistical post and was involved with obtaining and staging vehicles for military use. In the years following World War II the army realized the fort was no longer of use and it was turned over to the city of Detroit.
From 1949 into the 2000s the fort served as a museum until it was turned over to the Detroit Recreation Department which serves all of Detroit's parks. Since then because of Detroits economic problems the fort, especially the buildings located outside the fort have fallen into disrepair. Volunteers have helped restore the grounds somewhat and one local high school has its students volunteer each year to help keep the grounds clean and free of overgrowth. This does not mean all of the grounds are being kept up though as you can see in the photo above. The fort is open to vistors seasonally on the weekends for a small charge. Guided tours are also available. The fort also hosts its "Civil War Days" event each July.
On a personal note I have made it out to this fort before. It was a few years ago and volunteers were actually there working on it while I was there. From all indications it's still coming together but better than what it use to be.
http://www.fortwiki.com/Fort_Wayne_(2)
http://www.historicfortwaynecoalition.com/index.html
Also be sure to check out all the other "Forgotten Forts" I've created threads on like Fort Mifflin mentioned in this thread. (Link Below)
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-index.80901/
Following it's completion Fort Wayne was placed under caretaker status and would remain that way for over a decade until the outbreak of the American Civil War. With the threat of invasion from Canada still looming Fort Wayne, along with other Great Lakes military posts, was garrisoned almost immediately.
Fort Wayne was the main recruiting site for the state of Michigan with various regiments mustering at the post. In fact, the fort became so crowded during the war that buildings had to be built outside the fort to house troops. This is evident by the photo above. The brick houses in the top of the picture were all utilized by the military although most were built after the war to replace wood structures that were built during the war. Even though this extra housing did solve some of the problems for the crowded fort it was not until steamboats were tied up along the riverbank near the fort that all troops could be housed comfortably.
For the remainder of the war the fort would continue to serve as a recruiting center for the Union army. One of the more famous soldiers to receive training at Fort Wayne was Union soldier Frank Thompson who was actually a female named Sarah Edmonds. Edmonds would serve with the army until she became ill later in the final years of the war. The fort also saw major improvements during the war with its walls being rebuilt to their current form.
(Stone barracks built inside the walls of Fort Wayne, completed in 1848)
Following the war work continued on Fort Wayne however with the advances made in new artillery illustrated during the war against other masonry fortifications the fort was all but obsolete. In the 1880s the wooden structures outside the fort were torn down and rebuilt as comfortable brick structures as mentioned before. During both World Wars the fort served as a logistical post and was involved with obtaining and staging vehicles for military use. In the years following World War II the army realized the fort was no longer of use and it was turned over to the city of Detroit.
From 1949 into the 2000s the fort served as a museum until it was turned over to the Detroit Recreation Department which serves all of Detroit's parks. Since then because of Detroits economic problems the fort, especially the buildings located outside the fort have fallen into disrepair. Volunteers have helped restore the grounds somewhat and one local high school has its students volunteer each year to help keep the grounds clean and free of overgrowth. This does not mean all of the grounds are being kept up though as you can see in the photo above. The fort is open to vistors seasonally on the weekends for a small charge. Guided tours are also available. The fort also hosts its "Civil War Days" event each July.
On a personal note I have made it out to this fort before. It was a few years ago and volunteers were actually there working on it while I was there. From all indications it's still coming together but better than what it use to be.
http://www.fortwiki.com/Fort_Wayne_(2)
http://www.historicfortwaynecoalition.com/index.html
Also be sure to check out all the other "Forgotten Forts" I've created threads on like Fort Mifflin mentioned in this thread. (Link Below)
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-index.80901/