Maumee Ohio Driving Tour: Fallen Timbers to Fort Miamis

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Fort Miamis was built in 1794 by British forces trying to protect the land they had ceded to the U.S. after the Revolutionary War. American Colonel “Mad” Anthony Wayne tried to get the British to surrender that same year but to no avail. They only gave up the fort after the Jay Treaty, which resolved issues with the Treaty of Paris, was signed in 1795. The British occupied the fort once more during the War of 1812 as they attempted to siege the nearby Fort Meigs. After failing to do so, Fort Miamis was never again used for military purposes.

2. Wolcott House Museum and Maumee Valley Historical Society

Built by James Wolcott and his wife, Mary Wells, the Wolcott House began as a log home and evolved into a beautiful 14-room Federal-style mansion between the years 1827 and 1836. Wolcott was a successful merchant and shipbuilder, operating a warehouse next to the Maumee River and building steamships. Wolcott also served as a judge and politician. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the house contains period furnishings and decorative arts owned by typical middle-class Maumee families of the day. The house is part of a larger museum complex that features a number of other historical buildings including a church, schoolhouse, and log cabin. The site is operated by the Maumee Valley Historical Society.

3. The Commercial Building (Governor's Inn)

Levi Beebe built the Commercial Building in 1836. It housed various businesses such as law firms, stores, an inn, a bank, and the local post office. As an inn, it hosted future presidents Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S, Grant, and Rutherford B. Hayes. The success of the building and the ventures inside it could be attributed to its location near the Maumee River, on the stagecoach route from Detroit to Fort Wayne. Thought the Lucas County seat moved from Maumee to Toledo in 1852, weakening the economy, the Commercial Building continued to be occupied by a number of businesses. In the early twentieth century, it was used as an inn again, known at different times as the Neely House, Schiely House, the Bismark, Seurin Hotel Langley Inn, and, after 1940, The Old Plantation. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 under the name Governor’s Inn. More recently, the building accommodated Giannos Italian Bistro and Degage Jazz Café; both are now closed.

4. First Presbyterian Church of Maumee

The First Presbyterian Church of Maumee was organized by eleven charter members on January 9, 1820. Services were held in the members’ homes or in the local schoolhouse until a small frame church was built in 1837 on land that had been reserved for religious purposes. The church was refurbished in 1920 as the congregation grew. In 1950, an adjacent house was added for Sunday School classrooms and a meeting space. The church acquired property for a new sanctuary in 1960, though it was not finished until 1969. Since then, the original chapel, Sunday School classrooms, and Fellowship Hall have all been updated.

5. Fort Meigs Historic Site

Now a National Historic Landmark, Fort Meigs was the location of a large fort built by American soldiers during the War of 1812. The fort was constructed in 1813 and was named in honor of Governor Return Jonathan Meigs. Return Meigs was the Commandant of troops in Louisiana Territory prior to the war and served as both a US Senator and the Governor of Ohio as the conflict between the United States, Britain, and Native tribes in this region came to a head. The fort was built to help protect American settlers and traders in the region from attacks by the British and their Native American allies at a time when Britain was trying to gain control of the Northwest Territory. In the Spring of 1813, the British laid siege to the fort but ultimately failed, turning the tide of the war in favor of the United States. The site features a reconstructed fort designed to mirror the original fort as well as a visitor center which contains a museum, classrooms, a conference room, and a gift shop. The museum has exhibits that explain the history of the fort and numerous artifacts and staff that help to interpret the history of the fort and its role in the War of 1812.

6. Fallen Timbers Battlefield

In 1995, archaeologists determined that this was the location of the Battle of Fallen Timbers, the final battle of the wars between the United States and the Native American tribes of this region in the 1790s. The battle occurred on August 20, 1794 when Native Americans of a variety of area tribes, with the aid of British traders and under the leadership of Chief Little Turtle of the Miami tribe, ambushed and chased a smaller force of Kentucky militia to this location where they clashed with a larger force of federal troops under General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. President George Washington had appointed General Anthony Wayne to lead troops to crush the Western Confederacy, and with his superior force and supply, he was able to defeat the Native American forces after a fierce battle that lasted for several hours. After the defeat, Native American tribes felt no choice but to agree to abandon their claim on the land and signed the Treaty of Greenville in 1795. The site features a visitor's center and a loop trail with a few spots where interpretive signs are located.

This Tour is a Driving or Biking Tour.

Maumee Ohio Driving Tour: Fallen Timbers to Fort Miamis

Created by Clio Admin on November 10th 2018, 10:59:06 am.

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Description

This short drive through Maumee and Perryville Ohio includes several sites related to the conflicts between Native tribes and settlers of British and French descent as they battled for control of the era from the colonial period to the early 1800s. The tour begins at the site of the Battle of Fallen Timbers and continues on to Fort Meigs Historic Site. The tour then stops at several historical and cultural landmarks in Maumee before concluding at Fort Miamis which was constructed by the British following the American Revolution.

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Maumee Ohio Driving Tour: Fallen Timbers to Fort Miamis

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