From the parking lot, you can catch the west side of
Fort Meigs and a tall white monument in the middle behind a tree.
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It was built in 1813 at the Maumee River rapids to support the War of 1812. It is one of the largest log forts in America.The 10-acre log enclosure has 7 blockhouses and 5 emplacements. (
FortTours) The logs are 15 feet high and earth embankments are used to protect them from bombardment.
The British and indians did lay siege against the fort two times, but
both attempts failed. The fort was dismantled after the war, but the
land owner, Timothy Hayes, preserved the land in memory of the men who
fought the battles. In the late 1960s, the Ohio Historical Society
reconstructed the fort. (
Wikipedia) The
fort's web site indicates the reconstruction was done in the 1970s.
I visited on a day when the visitors center was closed. Below is a picture that ties together the visitor center and the west side of the fort. It also has a clearer shot of the white monument in the fort.
I present the historical markers in the order in which I encountered them from the parking lot. The fort was built to help mount the War of 1812.
"ARMY LODGE NO. 24 FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS 1813-1820
Settlers and soldiers moving west brought with them familiar institutions such as the Masonic Lodge. Here at Camp Meigs, military officers were authorized by Ohio Militia Captain Henry Brush, Ohio Masonic Grand Master, to establish the first lodge in Northwest Ohio on Spetember 3, 1813. Colonel William Anderson was Master. Lt. Col. William McMillan, Senior Warden, and Capt. Charles Graflot, Junior Warden. Built under the command of Gen. William Henry Harrison, the fort was named for Ohio Governor, Return Jonathan Meigs." (I did not tromp through the show to get a picture of the other side.)
"AMOS SPAFFORD
In 1810, some of the first American settlers in this area were Major Amos Spafford (1753-1818), his wife Olive (1756-1823), and their children Samuel, Aurora, Chloe (Mrs. Almon Gibbs), and Anna (Mrs. Richard Craw). In 1796, Spafford, a native of Connecticut, was a surveyor for the Connecticut Land Company He drew the first map detailing the layout of Cleveland and named the city. He left that area in 1810 following his appointment as custom's collector and postmaster for the new port at the foot of the Maumee River rapids called Port Miami of Lake Erie. Major Spafford was granted a 160 acre land patent on the River Tracts No. 64 and No. 65 in Waynesfield township, signed by President James Monroe and was able to purchase it following the 1817 Treaty of the Repids that extinguished Native American claim to the land. Two years later, sixty-seven families lived in the area, but most fled at the outbreak of the war of 1812."
"17TH INFANTRY REGIMENT
The 17th Infantry, created by Congress in 1812 and formed with personnel from western states, was the only Regular Army regiment in General James Winchester's column of the Army of the Northwest's compaign to regain Detroit. During the war of 1812, the 17th fought at Frenchtown, Fort Meigs, Fort Stephenson, and Thames River. In 1815, the 17th was consolidated with the 5th, 19th, and 28th Infantry to form the 3rd Infantry. In May 1861, the 17th Infantry was again organized as a Regular Army regiment and has since served continuously with distinction.
The regiment served in Ohio at Columbus Barracks from `1894 until 1899, where, after the Spanish-American War, the American Veterans of Foreign Service, Philippine Insurrection, Mexican Border Campaign, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, and expeditions in Panama (1889-1990). The regiment was decorated with the Presidential Unit Citation for the Leyte Operation, The Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, and four Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations. Seventeen members of the 17th infantry have been awarded the Medal of Honor."
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