The fort and stockade called Fort Recovery was built after the devastating defeat of General St. Clair's forces in 1791 by the Miami Indians. This disaster took place along the Wabash River, near where the current fort is located.
During the winter of 1793-94, a troop was sent by General Anthony Wayne to construct a fort and stockade at the site of the 1791 massacre. When the expedition reached the site, they had to clear away bones of the men that were struck down by the Miami Indians in 1791. The fort that was built was called Fort Recovery because they recovered the cannons after they arrived at the site to build the fort.
The first reconstruction of the fort was in 1935. It was built at one-third of its original size. It was then replaced in 1956 by the Ohio Historical Society. The old oak-walled well used by the garrison was found and restored. Additionally, the surveyor's stake was found that marked the boundary line between the whites and Indians as established by the Treaty of Greenville in 1795. In 1961, this marker was replaced with a map and legend identifying the spot.
Sources: Rohr, Martha, Historical
Sketch of Fort Recovery, Journal Publishing Company, Fort Recovery, OH, 1932.
Fort Recovery Historical Society, Inc., Historic Fort Recovery, Journal Publishing
Company, Fort Recovery, OH.
The following is an excerpt from The Archaeology of Fort Recovery by Tony DeRegnaucourt:
| "It is no exaggeration to state that the two largest engagements in the entire history of the United States in terms of number of participants and casulities between the U.S. Army and the Native Americans occurred here [Fort Recovery]. I More people have died in battle in the few acres of downtown Fort Recovery, both American and Indian, than any place in the United States excepting several large Civil War battles. In fact more U.S. Army casualties occurred here than any battle of the American Revolutionary War." |
For more information about the Fort Recovery fort and stockade, check the following websites.
- St. Clair's Defeat and the Battle of Fort Recovery
- The Cabin Gave Us Shelter a poem written by Fort Recovery 5th grade students.
- The Fort a poem written by Fort Recovery 5th grade students.
- Student drawings of the fort, stockade, and cabins.
- Scale drawings of the cabins made by a middle school math class.