Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana Places

1794 Fort Wayne

1877 image of 1794 Fort Wayne

The December 28, 1877 header of the Fort Wayne Daily Gazette newspaper appears to have a drawing of the 1794 fort and is one of the earliest images depicting Fort Wayne.

1877 - Morning Gazette - 1794 Fort Wayne image!

Article from Dec 28, 1877 Fort Wayne Daily Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1877, 1794 fort wayne image

Light version of the 1877 - Morning Gazette - 1794 Fort Wayne image! Fort Wayne Daily Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Friday, December 28, 1877, Page 1.


The fort image appeared in the header of the January 1, 1877 newspaper without the Fort Wayne in 1794 caption, but there are no online newspapers for 1876, while 1873 issues do not have the fort image. It is still the header of the September 28, 1878 newspaper, but not the next available September 30, 1878 newspaper.

1877 - Fort Wayne drawing newspaper headline

Article from Jan 1, 1877 Fort Wayne Daily Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1877, Fort wayne, Indiana

1877 - Fort Wayne drawing newspaper headline Fort Wayne Daily Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Monday, January 1, 1877, Page 1


Darker 1877 image of 1794 Fort Wayne

A darker version of the same December 28, 1877 newspaper shows more detail indicating it is a drawing.

1877 - Morning Gazette - 1794 Fort Wayne image!

Article from Dec 28, 1877 Fort Wayne Daily Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1794 fort wayne image

Dark version of the 1877 - Morning Gazette - 1794 Fort Wayne image! Fort Wayne Daily Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Friday, December 28, 1877, Page 1.

After the Battle of Fallen Timbers, General Wayne marched toward the Miami village of Kekionga, also known as Miamitown,...

Posted by The History Center on Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Tuesday, September 24, 2019 post by The History Center on Facebook:

After the Battle of Fallen Timbers, General Wayne marched toward the Miami village of Kekionga, also known as Miamitown, arriving on September 17, 1794. After selecting a location a week after his arrival, Wayne ordered the first American fortification in present day Allen County built at the confluence of our three rivers. Exactly 225 years ago today, on September 24, 1794, Wayne’s troops began construction on that first American fort. Soldiers cleared many trees surrounding the fort to provide an adequate field of fire and built earthen works to withstand British cannon fire. This fort sat south across the river from the village of Kekionga, now the northwest corner of Berry and Clay Streets. Today we commemorate the beginning of the first of three American military forts within Allen County. #sociallyhistory

THE FIRST FORT--We know there is confusion about Fort Wayne, and we'd like to clear it up. Historic Fort Wayne is a...

Posted by General "Mad" Anthony Wayne Organization, Inc on Thursday, December 30, 2021

Thursday, December 30, 2021 post by the General "Mad" Anthony Wayne Organization, Inc on Facebook:

THE FIRST FORT--We know there is confusion about Fort Wayne, and we'd like to clear it up. Historic Fort Wayne is a wonderful recreation of the fort rebuilt in 1815-1816 by Major John Whistler, the Fort's Commandant. The first fort was ordered by General Wayne in 1794, on the high ground overlooking the confluence of the Saint Mary's and Saint Joseph Rivers, and the Miami Tribe's "town" of Kekionga; it was dedicated on October 22, 1794, the day after the General left. A marker at the corner of what is now the intersection of Berry Street and Clay Street, seen in the photo below, shows the location of that original fort. That version of the fort was hastily built, leading to it being reconstructed four years later. Colonel Joseph Hunt began the rebuild with a second fort at the Three Rivers in 1798, two years after the General's death. It was built on the site just east, and slightly south, of FWFD Fire Station #1, downtown on Main Street. So, the Historic Fort Wayne on Spy Run is a replica of and modeled after Whistler's fort, the third fort built in the area to honor early settlers and soldiers.

Page 138 Chapter XIV - 1794 The Building and Dedication of Fort Wayne on the next page 139 it shows a map WHERE THE TWO STOCKADED FORTS WERE LOCATED in The pictorial history of Fort Wayne, Indiana : a review of two centuries of occupation of the region about the head of the Maumee River by Griswold, B. J. (Bert Joseph), 1873-1927Taylor, Samuel R., Mrs, Publication date 1917 on Archive.org.

October 22, 2018 post by Indiana Historical Bureau on Facebook:

On October 22, 1794, Fort Wayne was dedicated.

Following General Anthony Wayne's victory at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, the Legion of the United States under Wayne's command moved into present-day Indiana. Wayne selected a site for a fort at the Miami town of Kekionga.

The site was strategically and militarily located at the confluence of the St. Joseph, Saint Mary's, and Maumee Rivers. Wayne sought to exert American influence and control in the region over the claims of indigenous peoples and the British. Major John F. Hamtramck was placed in command of 100 soldiers stationed at the fort.

Learn more about Fort Wayne here: Anthony Wayne’s fort by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage) which includes a location map from page 138 of Griswold's Pictorial History of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The image shows "A Reproduction of the Only Existing Original Drawing of Old Fort Wayne Made by Major Whistler in 1816" on page 156 in Griswold's book.

John F. Hamtramck, at Fort Wayne

John F. Hamtramck, at Fort Wayne two page letter at the New York Public Library Digital Collections

More easily read as a flip book.

Following the arrival of the Legion of the United States at the Confluence of the Three Rivers in September 1794,...

Posted by The History Center on Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Tuesday, October 22, 2019 post by The History Center on Facebook:

Following the arrival of the Legion of the United States at the Confluence of the Three Rivers in September 1794, General Anthony Wayne ordered the first American fortification in present day Allen County built across the river from the Miami Indian village of Kekionga, now the northwest corner of Berry and Clay Streets. Exactly 225 years ago today, on October 22, 1794 the completed fort was dedicated with a military parade and the firing of 15 cannon rounds representing the 15 states of the union. The date was selected because it marked the four year anniversary of the defeat of American forces under the command of General Josiah Harmar by the Miami under the command of Chief Little Turtle at the Battle of Kekionga. Following the ceremonies, Wayne departed, leaving the fort under the command of Colonel John Francis Hamtramck, who chose the name “Fort Wayne” in honor of his military commander. Today we celebrate the 225th anniversary of the dedication of Fort Wayne! #sociallyhistory

  1. Anthony Wayne’s fort by Tom Castaldi, local historian on ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage).
  2. On this day in 1803 (April 13, 1803) John Johnston and his wife, Rachel Hoping Robinson Johnston, lost $414.50 when the...

    Posted by Johnston Farm & Indian Agency on Saturday, April 13, 2024

    Saturday, April 13, 2024 post by the Johnston Farm & Indian Agency on Facebook:

    On this day in 1803 (April 13, 1803) John Johnston and his wife, Rachel Hoping Robinson Johnston, lost $414.50 when the Factor’s house at Fort Wayne was burnt down along with much of the nearby Factory or government warehouse. Several Indians were arrested. The one who set fire to it admitted the act had been committed at the instigation of Canadian or British traders who resented the US government's interference with established trade in the area.

    Color photo is of the restored fort, which can be visited today.

    https://www.fortwayneparks.org/index.php?? #piquaohio #Piqua #historichouses

    #19thcenturyhistory #historichouse #19thcenturyhistorynerd #miamicoutyohio #oldfortwayne

  3. October 22, 2015 post by the Indiana Bicentennial Commission on Facebook:

    Happy Birthday to the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana!

    Fort Wayne was officially dedicated on October 22, 1794. Construction began on the new fort named for General "Mad" Anthony Wayne at the confluence of the St. Joseph, Saint Mary's, and Maumee Rivers.

    You can learn more about General Wayne and the history of Fort Wayne by checking out Historic Fort Wayne. You can also read Richard Battin's fascinating article "Gen. Anthony Wayne helped the nation grow west" here: Gen. Anthony Wayne helped the nation grow west

  4. John Johnston - Letter from Fort Wayne, September 30, 1804 posted September 30, 2015 on Johnston Farm & Indian Agency on Facebook.
  5. See Fort Wayne Facts on City of Fort Wayne.
  6. Gen. Anthony Wayne helped the nation grow west by Richard Battin published January 24, 1994 in archives of The News-Sentinel newspaperincludes a reading list of books.
  7. October 30, 2013 - Fort Wayne is the answer on the Jeopardy television show A log stockade made by a certain mad revolutionary war general in 1794 gave this city his name. See October 30, 2013 photo on Visit Fort Wayne Tweet on Twitter and Mitch Harper Tweet.

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