Fort Wayne (Detroit)
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (December 2013) |
Fort Wayne | |
Location | 6053 West Jefferson Avenue Detroit, Michigan |
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Coordinates | 42°17′57″N 83°05′50″W / 42.29917°N 83.09722°W |
Area | 96 acres (39 ha) |
Built | 1842–51 |
Architect | Montgomery C. Meigs |
NRHP reference No. | 71000425[1] |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | May 6, 1971 |
Designated MSHS | February 19, 1958[2] |
Fort Wayne is located in the city of
The fort sits on 96 acres (39 ha). Since the 1970s, 83 acres (34 ha), including the original fort and a number of buildings, has been operated by the city of Detroit. The remaining area is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a boatyard. The fort was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1958[2] and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.[1]
Background
Fort Wayne is Detroit's third fort. The first,
The site of Fort Wayne originally consisted of a high sand mound with freshwater springs along the marshy waterfront of the
When Cadillac founded Fort Pontchartrain, later known as Fort Detroit, he also purportedly made arrangements with the local Potawatomi people to set up a small village at the future site of Fort Wayne for purposes of trading; this was occupied and thriving by 1710.
The opening shots of the
In the late 1830s, small, short-lived rebellions occurred in Canada to protest corruption within its colonial government. Many Americans believed there was widespread Canadian support for these rebellions and formed volunteer militias to overthrow Canada's colonial government. This led to a series of militia attacks on Canada known as the
Soon afterward, the Army sent Lieutenant
Architecture and construction
The original fort is a
Although the fort today is substantially similar to the original construction, some changes have been made. Starting in 1863, under the supervision of Thomas J. Cram, the walls of the fort were reconstructed, replacing the original cedar facing with brick. The new scarp (outside wall) used the semi-detached scarp concept developed by French engineer Lazare Carnot. His concepts were also used in the gently-sloping counterscarp embankment, designed to facilitate counterattacks during a siege. While the original sally port in the southeast bastion still exists, a motor gate was added in 1838. This arched entrance was constructed through the fort's walls to accommodate vehicular traffic; later, the arches were removed to fit larger trucks.
Within the fort (and built at approximately the same time) is a
Numerous additional buildings have been built on fort grounds outside of the fort. A row of wooden Victorian officer's homes was built in the 1880s. In 1937, these homes were completely refurbished and clad in brick by WPA workers. One home was restored in the 1980s to its original appearance. A Spanish–American War guardhouse, built in 1889, is in the center of the fort grounds. The guard house was restored in 1984. In 1890, a brick hospital was built, with a later addition in 1898. In 1905, a new guardhouse, still in use today, was built near the gate to the fort grounds. Around the same time, four barracks buildings for enlisted men were built, as well as a service club (1903), headquarters (1905), and post office. By 1928, duplex housing for senior NCOs had been constructed. In 1939, more NCO houses were built in a row facing Jefferson Avenue.
Historical use
Before any cannon had been installed at the newly constructed Fort Wayne, the United States and Britain peacefully resolved their differences, eliminating the need for a fort on the Detroit River. Fort Wayne remained unused for a decade after its initial construction, manned only by a single watchman. There is evidence suggesting that the fort was a final stop on the Underground Railroad during these dormant years, as the Irish farmer who lived next to the fort's demilune operated a small ferry to Canada to supplement his income, the only such ferry in this part of the city at that time.
In 1861, the American Civil War again made Fort Wayne relevant. British sympathy for the Confederacy renewed fears of an attack from Canada, leading to a reconstruction and strengthening of the fort walls. Two weeks after the beginning of the war, the Michigan 1st Volunteer Infantry Regiment was mustered into service at Fort Wayne. For the rest of the Civil War, the fort served as a mustering center for troops from Michigan, as well as a place for veterans to recover from their wounds. Alfred Gibbs was the first commander to occupy the fort, serving his parole at Fort Wayne after being captured by the Confederacy.[4]
After the Civil War and until 1920, Fort Wayne served as a garrison post, with regiments rotated from the western frontier for rest. In 1875, the city of Detroit annexed a portion of Springwells Township; in 1884, it annexed more of Springwells Township east of Livernois Avenue, including all land adjacent to Fort Wayne.
During the Spanish–American War, troops from the fort headed to Cuba and the Philippines. The fort's guardhouse also housed the first telephone exchange in southwestern Detroit.
During the
During World War I, Fort Wayne had become instrumental in the acquisition of cars, trucks, and spare parts for the military. This motor vehicle supply function reached its peak in
At the end of World War II, plans were made to close the fort. In 1948, the fort and original barracks were turned over to the City of Detroit's Historical Commission for operation as a military museum. In the 1950s,
The remainder of Fort Wayne was turned over piecemeal to the city of Detroit, with the last bit of property delivered in 1976.
Current use
From 1949 until 2006, the Fort Wayne Military Museum was operated by the Detroit Historical Museum. Since early 2006, the fort has been operated by the Detroit Recreation Department, assisted by the Historic Fort Wayne Coalition, and the Detroit Historical Society.
The fort hosts
Spurred in part by construction of the new Gordie Howe International Bridge, nearby, the fort has been studied for possible inclusion in the national park system.[6] The National Park Service has previously assisted in identifying ways to preserve the fort and draw visitors. Among the possibilities, the fort could become part of River Raisin National Battlefield Park, based in Monroe, to the southwest.
In 2019, Fort Wayne hosted the Finish Line of the 31st season (subtitled Reality Showdown) of the long-running CBS's reality competition The Amazing Race.[7]
Gallery
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Officers' Quarters, c. 1900
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Officers' Row, c. 1900
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Sally Port, 1934
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Fort Wayne Barracks, 1934
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Powder House, 1934
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Main Barracks in January 2011
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Officer's Row in January 2011
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Many structures are in disrepair. January 2011
References
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
- ^ a b "Fort Wayne". Michigan State Housing Authority. Archived from the original on May 11, 2012. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
- ISBN 978-0814331200.
fort wayne.
- ^ a b Balduch, Vivian M. (February 4, 1999). "Detroit's Fort Wayne Under Siege". The Detroit News Michigan History. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved October 22, 2010.
- ^ "Fort Wayne". Michigan Markers web site. Retrieved 2008-01-17.
- ^ Kurth, Joel (May 3, 2018). "Michigan leaders want to make crumbling Detroit fort into national park". Bridge.
- ^ "'Amazing Race' Has Finale In Detroit: What Happened and Who Won". WWJ-TV. June 27, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
Further reading
- Conway, J. and D. F. Jamroz (2007). Detroit's Historic Fort Wayne. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-5112-8.
- Weaver, J. R. A Legacy in Brick and Stone, Second Edition, Redoubt Press. ISBN 978-1-7323916-1-1