Fort Wayne is located in the city of
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...
,
Michigan
Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
, at the foot of Livernois Avenue in the
Delray neighborhood. The
fort
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
is situated on the
Detroit River
The Detroit River flows west and south for from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie as a strait in the Great Lakes system. The river divides the metropolitan areas of Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario—an area collectively referred to as Det ...
at a point where it is under half a mile to the
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...
shore. The original 1848 limestone
barracks
Barracks are usually a group of long buildings built to house military personnel or laborers. The English word originates from the 17th century via French and Italian from an old Spanish word "barraca" ("soldier's tent"), but today barracks are ...
(with later brick additions) still stands, as does the 1845
fort
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
(renovated in 1863 with brick exterior facing). On the grounds but outside the original fort are additional barracks, officers quarters, hospital, shops, a recreation building, commissary, guard house, garage, and stables.
The fort sits on . Since the 1970s, , 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
and listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artist ...
in 1971.
Background
Fort Wayne is Detroit's third fort. The first,
Fort Pontchartrain du Detroit
Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit or Fort Detroit (1701–1796) was a fort established on the north bank of the Detroit River by the French officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and the Italian Alphonse de Tonty in 1701. In the 18th century, Frenc ...
, was built by the French in 1701 near current day Hart Plaza. This fort, constructed shortly after
Cadillac
The Cadillac Motor Car Division () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM) that designs and builds luxury vehicles. Its major markets are the United States, Canada, and China. Cadillac models are distributed ...
landed, was manned by the French until they surrendered it to the British in 1760 during the
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the st ...
. The British constructed the second fort,
Fort Lernoult, a few years later, centered on current day Fort and Shelby streets. They manned the post until 1796 when the United States assumed control over the site and renamed it Fort Shelby. Following the end of the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It ...
, Fort Shelby fell into disrepair, and in 1826 the City of Detroit purchased and demolished it.
The site of Fort Wayne originally consisted of a high sand mound with freshwater springs along the marshy waterfront of the
Detroit River
The Detroit River flows west and south for from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie as a strait in the Great Lakes system. The river divides the metropolitan areas of Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario—an area collectively referred to as Det ...
; it is from this geography that
Springwells Township
Springwells Township is a defunct civil township in Wayne County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. All of the land is now incorporated as part of the cities of Detroit and Dearborn. It is also famously known as the birthplace of Henry Ford.
His ...
(later annexed into the City of Detroit) took its name. The site has a history going back to about the year 1000 A.D. Approximately 19 Native American burial mounds were present in the immediate area, as well as a larger mound at the mouth of the
Rouge River. The present bastioned fort was built atop one of these burial mounds. In the early 20th century, the sole remaining burial mound at Fort Wayne was excavated by archaeologists from the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
and was found to contain human remains dating over 900 years old. A type of pottery found there is unique to the site; it was subsequently dubbed "Wayne Ware."
When Cadillac founded Fort Detroit, he also purportedly made arrangements with the local
Potawatomi
The Potawatomi , also spelled Pottawatomi and Pottawatomie (among many variations), are a Native American people of the western Great Lakes region, upper Mississippi River and Great Plains. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a m ...
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
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It ...
were fired in the vicinity of the fort's future site, the "sand hill at Springwells". Although war had not yet been officially declared, Michigan militiamen bombarded the town of Sandwich,
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada (french: link=no, province du Haut-Canada) was a part of British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of t ...
(later annexed into Windsor), on July 4, 1812. Later in the course of the war, British general
Isaac Brock crossed the narrowest part of the Detroit River with his troops and landed on the future Fort Wayne site before marching to Detroit. In the ensuing
Siege of Detroit, American general
William Hull, believing himself completely surrounded and outnumbered, surrendered Fort Shelby to the British without offering any resistance. The British later abandoned the fort and American troops reoccupied it. In 1815, the future Fort Wayne site was where American government and the local Native American tribal leaders met to sign the
Treaty of Springwells, which marked the end of hostilities between the government and tribes who had allied with the British during the war. Among those present for the signing of the treaty were territorial governor
Lewis Cass and General
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773April 4, 1841) was an American military officer and politician who served as the ninth president of the United States. Harrison died just 31 days after his inauguration in 1841, and had the shortest pres ...
.
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
Patriot War. American troops were mustered to suppress the American volunteers and maintain America's official neutrality in the conflict. However, at the same time, the United States government realized there was a lack of fortifications along the northern border to repel a potential British attack, and in particular, no counterpart to the British
Fort Malden
Fort Malden, formally known as Fort Amherstburg, is a defence fortification located in Amherstburg, Ontario. It was built in 1795 by Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain in order to ensure the security of British North America against any pote ...
located in
Amherstburg. In 1841, Congress appropriated funds to build a chain of forts stretching from the east coast to the
Minnesota Territory
The Territory of Minnesota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1849, until May 11, 1858, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Minnesota and west ...
, including one at Detroit.
Soon afterward, the Army sent Lieutenant
Montgomery C. Meigs to Detroit. Meigs bought riverfront farm property three miles below Detroit, in
Springwells Township
Springwells Township is a defunct civil township in Wayne County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. All of the land is now incorporated as part of the cities of Detroit and Dearborn. It is also famously known as the birthplace of Henry Ford.
His ...
, at the point on the Detroit River closest to Canada. Construction of the fort began in 1842, with Meigs overseeing. The original fortifications were cedar-revetted earthen walls. The fort was completed in 1851 at a cost of $150,000. The Army named the new fort for Revolutionary War hero
General "Mad" Anthony Wayne, who had taken possession of Detroit from the British in 1796.
Architecture and construction

The original fort is a
bastioned rectangle with walls of earthen ramparts faced with cedar, covering vaulted brick casemates that contain embrasures (openings) for antipersonnel flank howitzers. The design was based on fortifications developed by
Sebastian Vauban, a 17th-century
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
military engineer
Military engineering is loosely defined as the art, science, and practice of designing and building military works and maintaining lines of military transport and military communications. Military engineers are also responsible for logistics ...
,
and taught by Dennis Hart Mahan at the U.S. Military Academy. Artillery emplacements are atop the walls, designed for cannon mounted to fire over the
parapet
A parapet is a barrier that is an extension of the wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/breast'). ...
, although there is no indication that artillery intended for the fort was ever installed. There is a dry moat surrounding the fort, and a
demilune facing the river.
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
Thomas Jefferson Cram (March 1, 1804 – December 20, 1883) was an American topographical engineer from New Hampshire who served in the United States Army Corps of Topographical Engineers from 1839 to 1863 and the United States Army Corps of E ...
, 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
Federal style
Federal-style architecture is the name for the classicizing architecture built in the newly founded United States between 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815, which was heavily based on the works of Andrea Palladio with several in ...
, -story limestone troop barracks, consisting of five independent but adjacent sections - each intended to house one company. Each section contains a ground floor
mess, two floors of barracks rooms, and an attic. Brick additions were added to the rear of the building in 1861, housing washrooms and kitchens. Next to the barracks is a
powder magazine Powder Magazine, Powder House, or Powderworks may refer to:
*Powder tower or powder house, a building used to store gunpowder or explosives; common until the 20th century
*Gunpowder magazine, a building designed to store gunpowder in wooden barrels ...
, also constructed of limestone. Additional buildings originally built within the fort, such as officer's housing, have long since been destroyed.
Numerous additional buildings have been built on fort grounds outside of the fort. A row of wooden
Victorian
Victorian or Victorians may refer to:
19th century
* Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign
** Victorian architecture
** Victorian house
** Victorian decorative arts
** Victorian fashion
** Victorian literature ...
officer's homes was built in the 1880s. In 1937, these homes were completely refurbished and clad in brick by
WPA
WPA may refer to:
Computing
*Wi-Fi Protected Access, a wireless encryption standard
*Windows Product Activation, in Microsoft software licensing
*Wireless Public Alerting (Alert Ready), emergency alerts over LTE in Canada
* Windows Performance Ana ...
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
Duplex (Latin, 'double') may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Duplex'' (film), or ''Our House'', a 2003 American black comedy film
* Duplex (band), a Dutch electronic music duo
* Duplex (Norwegian duo)
* Duplex!, a Canadian children's music ...
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
The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. ...
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
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by state ...
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
Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...
at Fort Wayne after being captured by the
Confederacy
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between ...
.
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
, partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence
, image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg
, image_size = 300px
, caption = (cl ...
, troops from the fort headed to
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
and the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. The fort's guardhouse also housed the first telephone exchange in southwestern Detroit.
During the
Red Scare following
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, the fort served as a temporary detention center for accused
communists
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a ...
awaiting trial. In 1921, the world's first motorized ride-on lawn mower, patented by
Ransom E. Olds and manufactured by the Ideal Power Mower Co. of
Lansing, was used at Fort Wayne (as well as several other sites) for promotional purposes. During the
Great Depression, the fort was opened to homeless families and it housed the
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was a major part o ...
.
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
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, when Fort Wayne was designated Motor Supply Depot and additional buildings were constructed for warehousing and shipping. At that time, Fort Wayne was the largest motor supply depot in the entire world, the command center controlling the flow of materiel from the automobile factories to the citywide network of storage and staging facilities, which included the
Michigan State Fairgrounds, and the
Port of Detroit
The Port of Detroit is located along the west side of the Detroit River, and is the largest inland port in the state of Michigan. The port is overseen by the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority, a five-member board of directors appointed by the ...
terminal. Every single tank, truck, jeep, tire, or spare part that was sent to the fronts of World War II from the Detroit factories came through Fort Wayne. At that time, there was a railroad spur along the riverfront, docks for large ships, and over 2,000 (mostly civilian women) workers were employed; the drivers and mechanics of the
Red Ball Express were also trained here. Fort Wayne served as home to Italian
prisoners of war (POWs) captured during the
North African Campaign, who were employed as servants, cooks, and janitors. After Italy's surrender, the POWs were given the chance to return to Italy, but many chose to remain and settle in Detroit.
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,
anti-aircraft
Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...
guns were installed at the fort, later upgraded to
Nike-Ajax missiles. During the
Cold War, Fort Wayne served as an entrance station for the armed services, with thousands of enlistees and draftees being sworn in during the
Korean War
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Korean War
, partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict
, image = Korean War Montage 2.png
, image_size = 300px
, caption = Clockwise from top: ...
and
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
.
The fort was again used to provide housing to displaced families after the 1967
12th Street Riot
The 1967 Detroit Riot, also known as the 12th Street Riot or Detroit Rebellion, was the bloodiest of the urban riots in the United States during the " Long, hot summer of 1967". Composed mainly of confrontations between Black residents and the D ...
, with the last families staying at the fort until 1971.
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
historic reenactments (usually Civil War), spring and fall flea markets, concerts, youth soccer league matches, and Hispanic and Boy Scout events, and is open for some civic events. Areas can be rented for special events and family reunions. Also on the grounds is the remaining ancient Native American
burial mound
Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...
and the
Tuskegee Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of primarily African American military pilots (fighter and bomber) and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332d Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the United States Army ...
National Historical Museum.
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. The
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government within the United States Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of ...
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
''The Amazing Race'' is an adventure reality game show franchise in which teams of two people race around the world in competition with other teams. The ''Race'' is split into legs, with teams tasked to deduce clues, navigate themselves in forei ...
''.
Gallery
Image:OfficersQuartersFortWayne.jpg, Officers' Quarters, c. 1900
Image:OfficersRowFortWayne.jpg, Officers' Row, c. 1900
Image:Fort Wayne Salley Port.jpg, Sally Port, 1934
Image:Fort Wayne Barrack 1934.jpg, Fort Wayne Barracks, 1934
Image:Fort Wayne Powder House, 1934.jpg, Powder House, 1934
Image:Fort Wayne Detroit Main Barracks 2011.JPG, Main Barracks in January 2011
Image:Fort Wayne Detroit Officer's Row 2011.JPG, Officer's Row in January 2011
Image:Fort Wayne Detroit Officer's Row Disrepair 2011.JPG, Many structures are in disrepair. January 2011
References
Further reading
*
*Weaver, J. R. ''A Legacy in Brick and Stone'', Second Edition, Redoubt Press. ISBN 978-1-7323916-1-1
External links
Historic Fort Wayne Coalition (Detroit)Detroit Recreation Department
{{Authority control
1843 establishments in Michigan
Wayne
Museums in Detroit
Military and war museums in Michigan
Civilian Conservation Corps in Michigan
Michigan State Historic Sites
Wayne
National Register of Historic Places in Detroit
Barracks on the National Register of Historic Places