Fort Blue Mounds, also known as Blue Mounds Fort, was located in Blue Mounds, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States.
Fort Blue Mounds | |
 Sign across the river from the original site. | |
| Location | Dane County, Wisconsin, United States |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Blue Mounds |
| Coordinates | 43°01′03″N 89°49′56″W / 43.01750°N 89.83222°W |
| Built | May 10, 1832 |
| NRHP reference No. | 01001044 |
| Added to NRHP | September 24, 2001 |
History
editThe settlement of Blue Mounds was founded in 1828 by Ebenezer Brigham on the south slope of the eastern mound of the Blue Mounds.[1] In 1832, when word arrived that Chief Black Hawk and his 1200 Sauk followers had crossed the Mississippi River, it was decided to build a fort to protect the settlers.[1]
On May 10, 1832, the construction of Fort Blue Mounds began with the help of the residents of Blue Mounds, led by the newly promoted Colonel Ebenezer Brigham.[1][2][3] The fort was built a mile south of Eastern Mound on the highest part of the open prairie,[2] allowing for a commanding view of the open country for miles.[2] Those who defended the fort were able to see to the east, south, and west, with the mound bounding the northern side of the fort.[2]
Word quickly arrived at the settlement of an engagement between Black Hawk's group and the Illinois militia on May 14, 1832.[1] In what was to be called the Battle of Stillman's Run, the Illinois militia were defeated by the Indians.[1] This, along with the closeness of the Ho-Chunk tribe, brought fear to the settlers, and they worked quickly to complete the fort in about two weeks.[1][2]
From May 20 to September 20, 1832, the settlers and miners joined General Henry Dodge's Michigan Territory Militia during the Black Hawk War.[1][3]
James Aubrey was the first commander at the fort, but after he was killed by the Indians on June 6, his first lieutenant, Edward Beouchard, took command.[2] He didn't command long before Captain John Sherman succeeded him.[1][2]
Archaeology
editThe site of the original fort was owned by Colonel Brigham's descendants until it was donated to the Wisconsin Historical Society, who dedicated it as a state historical site on September 5, 1921.[3]
Through excavation, it was found that the layout of the fort was very similar to one at Apple River in Illinois.[1] The fort was surrounded by a picket fence about 150 feet (46 m) in length on each side.[2] Its wall was made from oak trees that were about 16 or 17 feet (5.2 m) in height, with 3 feet (0.91 m) of trunk planted in the ground.[2] At two of the corners of the fort were 20-foot (6.1 m) square blockhouses.[1][2] Inside the wall was a log building in the center that was 30 by 20 feet (6.1 m) that was used as a store-house and barracks.[1][2]
Today
editOn May 22, 2010, the Blue Mounds Fort marker was rededicated following a three-year fundraising effort by the Blue Mounds Area Historical Society.[4][5] The marker, which was cleaned up and re-mounted on a chert boulder donated by Blue Mound State Park, sits on the site of the Fort, although it is not currently accessible by the public.
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Birmingham, Robert (Spring 2003). "Uncovering the Story of Fort Blue Mounds" (PDF). Wisconsin Magazine of History. Wisconsin Historical Society: 46–57. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 14, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Historic Diaries: Black Hawk War". Wisconsin Historical Society. Archived from the original on March 19, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2007.
- ^ a b c "Survey of Historical Activities". Wisconsin Magazine of History. Wisconsin Historical Society: 112. September 1921. Archived from the original on June 11, 2010. Retrieved August 19, 2007.
- ^ "Blue Mounds Area Historical Society". Archived from the original on 2009-09-07. Retrieved 2010-08-05.
- ^ "Re-Dedication of Fort Blue Mounds- Photos". Blue Mounds Area Historical Society. June 23, 2010. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
External links
edit- Term: Brigham, Ebenezer 1789 - 1861 Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine," Dictionary of Wisconsin History, Wisconsin State Historical Society. Retrieved 14 August 2007
- Barton, Albert O. "Echoes of the Black Hawk War", Wisconsin Magazine of History, 16: 4 (1932–1933). Retrieved 14 August 2007.
- Dictionary of Wisconsin History
- "Rounding up its rich past"
- Sauk and the Black Hawk War