Detroit's Fort Wayne-- Part 8: Today

The remainder of Fort Wayne was turned over piecemeal to the City of Detroit. with the last bit turned over in 1976.

From 1949 to 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, the Friends of Fort Wayne and the Detroit Historical Society.

The fort hosts historic reenactments (most often Civil War), spring and fall flea markets, concerts, youth soccer league matches as well as Hispanic and Boy Scout events and is open for some civic events.

Also on the grounds is the remaining Indian burial ground and the Tuskegee Airman national Museum (kind of strange that it would not be in Tuskegee, Alabama).

Spurred in part by the construction of the new Gordie Howe International Bridge nearby, Fort Wayne  has been studied for possible inclusion in the national park system.  The National Park Service has previously  assisted in identifying ways to preserve the fort and draw visitors.  Among the possibilities is inclusion in the existing River Raisin National Battlefield Park in nearby Monroe, Michigan.

--Brock-Perry

George Ronan-- Part 7: His Legacy

George Ronan is usually considered the first West Point-educated officer to die in the War of 1812.  He was an ensign, which made him the lowest rank of officer in the U.S. Army at the time.  That rank has been abolished and today would be a second lieutenant.

Sculptor Henry Hering, in his 1928 "Defense" bas relief mounted on the Michigan Avenue Bridge, adjacent to the site of Fort Dearborn, centered it on an unnamed junior officer depicted as protecting women and children civilians.  That was probably Ronan.

Ronan Park, a 3-acre unit of the Chicago Park District is located at 3000 West Argyle Street on the Chicago River and named in his honor.

--Brock-Perry

William Howe, Member of Inventive Family

From Wikipedia

I looked up William Howe, whose bridge design I discussed in the last post.

He is listed under William Howe, architect.

Born May 12, 1803, in Spencer, Massachusetts.  Died September 9, 1852.  American architect and bridge builder, famous for patenting the Howe Truss design for bridges.

He learned carpentry and construction at an early age and put those to good work.

His whole family was quite inventive.  His brother Elias Howe patented the first viable sewing machine.  His other brother, Tyler Howe, invented the box spring bed.

William Howe founded the Howe Bridge Works in 1840.

In 1840, he was engaged to build a railroad bridge across the Connecticut River in Springfield, Massachusetts..  It was taken down in 1855.

--Brock-Perry

The Howe Truss Bridge

OK, I realize these next two posts are a bit off of the War of 1812, but are of general history interest to me.  You never know what you are going to find when you start researching.

From Garrett's Bridges site.

Back on June 30th, I mentioned that George Washington Whistler had introduced the Howe Truss Bridge to Russia.

What is a Howe Truss bridge?

It was designed by William Howe in 1840 and used mostly wood in its construction and was very good for use in longer spans of bridges.

It is considered one of the best designs for railroad bridges back in its day.

There are still many Howe Truss bridges in the northwestern part of the United States.

--Brock-Perry

George Washington Whistler-- Part 5: Legacy

In 1830 they joined the Baltimore and Susquehanna Railroad and later others.  He went to Russia, where he died unexpectedly and evidently his body was returned to the United States as he is buried in Stonington, Connecticut.

LEGACY

Stone arch bridges he built in 1841 are still carrying trains in western Massachusetts..

He also was the first civil engineer in the United States to use contour lines to show elevation and relief on maps.

--Brock-Perry