Historic Fort George-- Part 12: Conversion Into Historic Site

On 21 May 1921 the site was named as a National Historic Site of Canada and a stone cairn placed on the site.  During the mid-1930s, the Department of National Defence accepted an offer from the Niagara Parks Commission to reconstruct and restore Fort George, Fort Mississauga and Navy Hall in return for a 99-year lease on all three properties for C$1 a year; although the Department reserved the right to reclaim the properties with a six-month's notice.

The commission began to restore Navy Hall in August 1937 which was followed by work on the fort's gunpowder magazine.  The fort's officers' quarters were moved  to another part of the fort.  The buildings erected during the First World War  were relocated outside the fort.

During this period, bulldozers were used to push the fort's earthen ramparts back into place.  The surrounding area was also cleared of undergrowth.  In 1939, the reconstruction of Fort George's former buildings and a visitor centre outside the fort took place.  White pine from northern Ontario was brought in for construction.

--Brock-Perry

New Sign in Fort Madison, Iowa, Announces War of 1812 Battlefield

From the November 2, 2022, Fort Madison (Iowa) Democrat by Robin Delaney.

The War of 1812 Battlefield Park between Fourt and Fifth Street on Avenue G in Fort Madison now has a new sign announcing its place in history for both residents and tourists.

A donation from the Fort Madison Lions Club along with contributions from individuals paid for the $2,000 sign.

The park and all is due in large part to the efforts of  Carol Foss.

Development of the battlefield park began several years ago with the purchase of the property for $50,000 by the North Lee County Historical Society  after a fundraising campaign.

The original Fort Madison battlefield site is located on the eastern half of the Sheaffer Pen property.  RSBR Investments LLC purchased the Sheaffer Pen property in 2014 to construct the east-end Dollar General, but the property was split in half, so that then historic battlefield land could be turned into into an educational tourism site.

--Brock-Perry

The Battle of New Orleans, American Battlefield Trust

From the American Battlefield Trust 2021 calendar.

The calendar features a different battlefield from the Civil War, War of 1812 and American Revolution every month.  This organization, as I said in the last post, is committed to saving historic acres in these wars that were fought in the United States.  They originally started off just for Civil War battles, but I am glad they have expanded their efforts to the other two.

This month's full page picture by Buddy Secor features the Chalmette Battlefield Jean  Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in Chalmette, Louisiana.

Text:

"NEW ORLEANS, LA.

On January 8, 1815, Major General Andrew Jackson's outnumbered army defended New Orleans from British capture and secured the greatest American victory of the War of 1812.

To date, the Trust has saved 25 acres of War of 1812 battlefields, with more on the horizon.  Future preservation and education efforts will continue to elevate the battlefields of this important, but often overlooked, conflict."

I belong to this organization, and as this blog is titled "Not So Forgotten."

There is also a small picture of  the Cowpens National Battlefield in Gaffney, S,C., by Brian Keeley.

--Brock-Perry

Horse Island Light

Earlier this month I wrote about Horse Island by Sackets Harbor, New York, and then wrote about the First Battle of Sackets Harbor.

From Wikipedia.

In July 2017, the 24-acre Horse Island was acquired by the Civil War Trust, which has enlarged its efforts to include War of 1812 and American Revolution site preservation.  This was the first grant in the United States made for a War of 1812 site under the National Park Service battlefield grants program.

During the War of 1812, the British used the island as a staging area and the Second Battle of Sackets Harbor took place here.  (I guess I'll have to write about this battle next.)

Because of its location by Sackets Harbor, on March 3, 1831, Congress authorized $4,000 for a lighthouse on Horse Island.  A new one was built in 1870.

--Brock-Perry

Civil War Trust Purchases War of 1812 Historic Land in Sackets Harbor

It is great that this organization, which, of course, does so much to preserve Civil War battlefields has expanded its objective to preserving American revolution and War of 1812 ones as well.

Their latest success in the War of 1812 has been to purchase the 24 acres of Horse Island, near Sackets Harbor.

To read more about it, go to my Saw the Elephant Civil War blog for today.  You can get to it by clicking on the My Blog List area to the right of this.

--Brock-Perry

Civil War Trust Helps Preserve Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefields

From the April 16, 2016, New York Daily Journal.

The Civil War Trust, which has done a great job of saving thousands of acres of that war's battlefields is now branching out to help Vermont and New York Revolutionary War and War of 1812 groups to do the same.

It is part of their Civil War Trust Campaign 1776 which was launched in 2014.

They held workshops this week in Schuylerville and Crown Point.

--Brock-Perry

Veterans Day: Civil War Trust to Preserve War of 1812 Battlefields

Today, the nation's largest Civil War battlefield preservation group will announce that they will be expanding their mission to include preserving War of 1812 battlefields.

The announcement will be made at the Revolutionary War Princeton Battle Memorial in New Jersey.  Too bad they didn't also make an announcement at a War of 1812 battlefield as well.  But, anyway, I'm glad to hear it.

Thanks CWT.

Historians Fret the Fate of War of 1812 Sites-- Part 3

A group of historians were working on a patch of grass along Route 231, using metal detectors and marking potential targets with bright flags.

They found a Civil War musket ball, most likely from Camp Stanton, a training facility for black soldiers.

They had successfully fought off the erection of a 125-foot cell phone tower at the site.

There had been a brief battle there in 1812.  The area was fields at the time, but it is now wooded and Route 12 cuts through it now.

Saving Those Battlefields One At a Time.  --Brock-Perry