Drummond Township on Drummond Island in Chippewa County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Fort Drummond

Photographed by J. J. Prats, August 2, 2024

1. Fort Drummond Marker

Inscription. Forced by the Treaty of Ghent to evacuate the fort they had captured on Mackinac Island during the War of 1812, the British selected this island as an alternate military post. The stronghold was close to the traditional Indian gathering point at the Straits of Mackinac in order to sustain English control of the Indians and the Upper Great Lakes fur trade. Built by Colonel Robert McDonall and his men, Fort Drummond and the nearby village at Collier’s Harbor were maintained for more than a decade. The British abandoned their stronghold in 1828 six years after Drummond Island was ruled United States territory. Now summer cottages occupy this rocky countryside and only a few ruined chimneys survive as reminders of the conflict between British and American sovereignty in the Old Northwest.

Erected 1977 by Michigan History Division, Department of State, Registered State Site. (Marker Number 109.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • War of 1812. In addition, it is included in the Michigan Historical Commission series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1812.

Location.

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45° 59.333′ N, 83° 52.632′ W. Marker is on Drummond Island, Michigan, in Chippewa County. It is in Drummond Township. It is on East Channel Road (Michigan Route 134), on the left when traveling west. It is on Drummond Island on the approach to the ferry terminal to the mainland. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 23501 E Channel Rd, Drummond Island MI 49726, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on Lake Superior’s South Shore Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

in the Great North Woods,

on the Great Lakes,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 3 other markers are within 16 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: DeTour Reef Light Station (approx. 5.8 miles away); Fort St. Joseph / Le Fort Saint-Joseph (approx. 6.2 miles away in Canada); Tenby Bay (approx.

Photographed by J. J. Prats, August 2, 2024

2. Fort Drummond Marker

The vehicle ferry can be seen at the dock in the distance. Fare is $20 round trip.

15.2 kilometers away in Canada).

Also see . . . Wikipedia entry. Excerpt:

The settlement at Fort Drummond contained military structures as well as private houses. The settlement was centered around a parade ground fronting on the west side of the bay. Military barracks and commissary were located on the west side of the parade ground, and officer's quarters were haphazardly placed in the area. A “boulevard” ran along northward from the parade ground a good 2,000 feet, while a military road continued southward of the parade ground to the shore. The section of land east of the boulevard, between the boulevard and the bay, was reserved for gardens, while houses were built on the west side of the boulevard. The boulevard was lined by a row of poplar trees on each side.

(Submitted on August 10, 2024.)

Fort Drummond Site Chimney Ruin image. Click for full size.

U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (Public Domain), 1959

3. Fort Drummond Site Chimney Ruin

Credits. This page was last revised on January 28, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 10, 2024, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 940 times since then and 128 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 10, 2024, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.