Historic Old Fort — Attraction in Fort Wayne

It's a beautiful and leisurely walk (about 20 minutes) from the parking area along the St. Mary's pathway to the fort. Along the way, you pass some nice views of the St. Mary's River, including a viewing deck and a wall of intriguing graffiti art. Plenty of photo opportunities here.

The fort itself is a small complex that gives you a hint of the hardships (and adventure?) of pioneer times. I found the outdoor oven especially interesting. The juxtaposition of the old fort hill area with the surrounding Fort Wayne downtown also impressed me. It is as if you can see the old and new side by side.

After visiting the fort, I suggest you cross the bridge to Headwaters Park to get a further feel for the many lives of Fort Wayne (pioneer fort, railroad hub, river transport center, rural Indiana city).

Pro Tip: For the intrepid adventurer who really wants to get the flavour of the struggles of "fort life", I encourage you to visit the fort in the winter. Not for everyone, assuredly, but a...

I find it really sad that we celebrate this genocide this way. I'm glad they removed the torture devices from the center. It would be lovely if they tore it down altogether and/or made a memorial mindfully in it's place. Maybe just next door a replica of the thriving and diverse trade culture that existed before the fort was ordered there. It is nice to have re-enactments of history, but the re-enactments of the fort should include, apologetically, the extreme atrocities, the Trail of Death, and the disease and disorders the people in the fort we're fraught with. Not just this fairy tail utopian society survivalist niceties. Maybe the niceties a couple times a year and the full story a couple times a year...sure, why not begin with allowing a couple different groups to tell it from their angle while we re-evaluate? The celebration of the fort...

Landmark Review: This is a rare gem that is run by the park district of Fort Wayne. Located along the river is a replica of the fort as it existed in 1815. Although this is not at the original location, it aims to replicate the basic stockade and provide history about the way of life in the late 1700 to 1812. During normal operating hours, there maybe a few volunteers who can provide the history of the fort, however special days as listed on the website where there is re-enactments and demonstrations as well by volunteers. This is a free experience and you can give cash donations when you walk in or buy baked goods which help support the upkeep of the Fort. It is a great way to educate the kids and spend a few hour on the weekend. We even got to see the cannon fire at noon...