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