Reconstruction of Whistler's Fort

Reconstruction of Whistler's Fort. . , Although talked about for many years, serious steps towards building a replica of one of Fort Wayne's American forts did not take place until 1963 when the Allen County/Fort Wayne Historical Society voted to take action on the project. The following year the Psi Iota Xi sorority made a grant to the Historical Society to fund research on fort reconstruction to be led by Dr. Richard Knopf. Later military historian Brian L. Dunnigan was hired to lead the organization known as Historic Fort Wayne. , , It was decided to construct the third American fort due to the availability of a detailed drawing done by Major John Whistler in 1816. Programming would center around 1816 first person interpretations based on historical records. In the early 1970s, a fundraising campaign office was opened, and property acquisition began. Numerous houses along the west side of Spy Run Avenue were purchased and demolished. Construction began in 1974 and the fort opened to the public on June 5, 1976. , , Historic Fort Wayne ceased operations in 1993 and ownership of the fort reverted back to the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department. In 2004, a new group, also known as Historic Fort Wayne, began programming and set about to repair and rebuild the fort buildings. , , Timeline , 1722 , First French fort is built at the confluence by this year , 1750 , Second French fort built , 1760 , French fort ceded to British , 1763 , British fort falls to Native-American confederation , 1794 , General Anthony Wayne builds first American fort , 1800 , Colonel Thomas Hunt builds second American fort , 1812 , Siege of Fort Wayne , 1815-16 , Major John Whistler builds third American fort , 1819 , Whistler's fort is demolished , 1852 , Last remaining building of Whistler's fort is demolished , , Acknowledgements: Three Rivers Federal Credit Union, National Archives, Randy and Angela Elliott, Tom Grant, Randy Harter, Jill Downs