Although damaged during the New Madrid earth-quakes of 1811-1812, Fort Massac was repairedas the headquarters for the Twenty-FourthInfantry Regiment, who stayed until the springof 1813. However, the outpost was less impor-tant to the military after the war of 1812 andwas abandoned in 1814. Timber and brick weresoon scavenged by settlers in the area. Duringthe Civil War, Union soldiers used the groundsfor an encampment.

The Daughters of the American Revolutionpurchased the 24 acres surrounding the fort in1903. This land was officially dedicated as thefirst State Park of Illinois in 1908.

Under the direction of Paul Maynard and spon-sored by the State of Illinois Division of Parksand Memorials, a team of archaeologists start-ed excavations at Fort Massac in 1939.Maynard’s team excavated both French andAmerican forts. However, Maynard’s effortswere interrupted by World War II, and he was

never able to return to the site. The copiousnotes he made were used by archaeologistsworking with the State during the planning ofthe 1802 fort replica.

Protecting Archaeological Sites

The Illinois Department of Natural Resourcesowns and manages thousands of archaeologi-cal sites on land it oversees. The Archaeologicaland Paleontological Resources Protection Actprotects these sites and the artifacts containedwithin them from looting and vandalism. It isillegal for anyone to either collect from orengage in digging into an archaeological site onpublic land. Although prohibited by law, thelooting of sites is a serious problem. If younotice illicit digging at an archaeological site orwitness someone collecting artifacts on a siteat a state park, the Department of NaturalResources asks you to contact either the parksuperintendent or the IDNR Cultural ResourcesCoordinator at (217) 782-3715 so that measures

can be taken to protectthe site.

For information aboutFort Massac facilities andhours, contact the parkoffice at (618) 524-4712.

FortMassacStatePark

HistoricSite

In1757theFrenchbuiltFortdeL'Ascension(FortAscension)onthislowblufftopsiteinordertoprotecttheirroutetofortsalongtheupperOhioRiver.Thisfirstfortwasdescribedas“inruins”by1760,butwasrebuiltthatspringbytheFrenchandrenamedFortMassiacinhonorofMonsieurMassiac,FrenchMinisterofColonialAffairsfortheNewWorld.Underthetreatyof1763,theFrenchsurrenderedtheforttotheBritish.Afterbeingabandoned,itwasburnedtothegroundin1765.TheBritishdidnotrebuildthefort.InJune1778thelocationwasvisitedbyGeorgeRogersClark,enroutetocapturetheBritishgarrisonedatVincennes.TheAmericanserectedtheirfirstFortMassac(theAnglicizedspelling)ontopoftheFrenchfortsitein1794.FortMassacsoonbecameamajorentrypointontheOhioRiverforset-tlersenteringtheIllinoiscountryfromtheeastandsouth.ThestockadewallswererebuiltbytheAmericansfourorfivetimesbetween1794and1814.Eachfortwasbuiltatoptheruinsoftheformerfort,buteachwaslargerthanitspredecessor.

Theestablishmentin1801ofCantonmentWilkinson,overlookingtheOhioRiversome16milesdownriverfromMassac,shiftedmil-

itaryemphasisawayfromFortMassac.“Wilkinsonville”was,forashorttime,amajorencampmentformilitia.ThetroopsfromMassacwerestationedatthecanton-mentforseveralmonthsduring1801andpossiblyinearly1802.However,thecamp,whichhadupwardsof800militarymeninMayof1801andperhapsasmanyas1,500bymidsummer,wasalmostimmediatelybesetwithsickness.Feversanddysentery,possiblyduetomalaria,forcedthecampclosure,andCantonmentWilkinsonwasabandonedin1802.

ThegarrisonreturnedtoFortMassacin1802and,underthecommandofCaptainDanielBissell,repairedtheoldfortification.Theyaddedanewstockade,barracks,threeblock-

houses,twoofficers’quarters,andapowdermagazine.Thereplicaofthis1802fort,completedinOctober2003,hasmostofthesebuildingsaswellasthestockadewallandadrymoatwithpickets.

RecruitingsoldiersfromamongthesettlersappearstohavebeenanongoingactivityforthemilitiaatFortMassac.WhilethefortitselfnevercameunderfirefromEuropeans,thesoldiersdidengageinconflictswithnearbyIndiansduringitshistory.

MeriwetherLewisandWilliamClarkstoppedatthefortNovember11through13,1803,withtheintentionofcollectingnon-commissionedofficersand

privatestoaccompanythemontheirwest-wardexplorations.Whileatthefort,Lewishiredlocalhunter/scout/interpreterGeorgePierreDrouillard,whosemotherwasaShawneeandfatheraFrenchCanadianagentfortheBritishIndianAgencyinDetroit.Drouillard’sexpertisewassovaluedthatLewishiredhimawayfromBissellatthemonthlyrateaccordedasecondlieutenant,$25.HealsopromisedDrouillardawarrantforlandwhentheyreturnedfromthewest.

ThereplicatedfortlooksmuchtodayasitwouldhaveatthetimeofLewisandClark’svisit.However,toprotectarchaeologicalremainsintheground,theentiresiteplanforthereplicawasshiftedjusttotheeastofthefootprintofalltheoriginalforts.

State of IllinoisIllinois Department of Natural Resources

Officers’ quarters.Photo by R. Kuenneke.

Southwestblockhouse.PhotobyR.Kuenneke

Fort MassacState Park

A Self-Guided Tour of a Replicaof an 1802 American Fort

Fort Massac State Park1308 East 5th Street

Metropolis, Illinois 62960

AlthoughdamagedduringtheNewMadridearth-quakesof1811-1812,FortMassacwasrepairedastheheadquartersfortheTwenty-FourthInfantryRegiment,whostayeduntilthespringof1813.However,theoutpostwaslessimpor-tanttothemilitaryafterthewarof1812andwasabandonedin1814.Timberandbrickweresoonscavengedbysettlersinthearea.DuringtheCivilWar,Unionsoldiersusedthegroundsforanencampment.

TheDaughtersoftheAmericanRevolutionpurchasedthe24acressurroundingthefortin1903.ThislandwasofficiallydedicatedasthefirstStateParkofIllinoisin1908.

UnderthedirectionofPaulMaynardandspon-soredbytheStateofIllinoisDivisionofParksandMemorials,ateamofarchaeologistsstart-edexcavationsatFortMassacin1939.Maynard’steamexcavatedbothFrenchandAmericanforts.However,Maynard’seffortswereinterruptedbyWorldWarII,andhewas

neverabletoreturntothesite.ThecopiousnoteshemadewereusedbyarchaeologistsworkingwiththeStateduringtheplanningofthe1802fortreplica.

ProtectingArchaeologicalSites

TheIllinoisDepartmentofNaturalResourcesownsandmanagesthousandsofarchaeologi-calsitesonlanditoversees.TheArchaeologicalandPaleontologicalResourcesProtectionActprotectsthesesitesandtheartifactscontainedwithinthemfromlootingandvandalism.Itisillegalforanyonetoeithercollectfromorengageindiggingintoanarchaeologicalsiteonpublicland.Althoughprohibitedbylaw,thelootingofsitesisaseriousproblem.Ifyounoticeillicitdiggingatanarchaeologicalsiteorwitnesssomeonecollectingartifactsonasiteatastatepark,theDepartmentofNaturalResourcesasksyoutocontacteithertheparksuperintendentortheIDNRCulturalResourcesCoordinatorat(217)782-3715sothatmeasures

canbetakentoprotectthesite.

ForinformationaboutFortMassacfacilitiesandhours,contacttheparkofficeat(618)524-4712.

Fort Massac StatePark

Historic Site

In 1757 the French built Fort deL'Ascension (Fort Ascension) onthis low bluff top site in order toprotect their route to forts alongthe upper Ohio River. This firstfort was described as “in ruins”by 1760, but was rebuilt thatspring by the French andrenamed Fort Massiac in honorof Monsieur Massiac, FrenchMinister of Colonial Affairs forthe New World. Under the treatyof 1763, the French surrenderedthe fort to the British. Afterbeing abandoned, it was burnedto the ground in 1765. The British did notrebuild the fort. In June 1778 the location wasvisited by George Rogers Clark, enroute tocapture the British garrisoned at Vincennes.The Americans erected their first Fort Massac(the Anglicized spelling) on top of the Frenchfort site in 1794. Fort Massac soon became amajor entry point on the Ohio River for set-tlers entering the Illinois country from theeast and south. The stockade walls wererebuilt by the Americans four or five timesbetween 1794 and 1814. Each fort was builtatop the ruins of the former fort, but eachwas larger than its predecessor.

The establishment in 1801 of CantonmentWilkinson, overlooking the Ohio River some16 miles down river from Massac, shifted mil-

itary emphasis away from Fort Massac.“Wilkinsonville” was, for a short time, amajor encampment for militia. The troopsfrom Massac were stationed at the canton-ment for several months during 1801 andpossibly in early 1802. However, the camp,which had upwards of 800 military men inMay of 1801 and perhaps as many as 1,500by midsummer, was almost immediatelybeset with sickness. Fevers and dysentery,possibly due to malaria, forced the campclosure, and Cantonment Wilkinson wasabandoned in 1802.

The garrison returned to Fort Massac in 1802and, under the command of Captain DanielBissell, repaired the old fortification. Theyadded a new stockade, barracks, three block-

houses, two officers’ quarters, anda powder magazine. The replica ofthis 1802 fort, completed inOctober 2003, has most of thesebuildings as well as the stockadewall and a dry moat with pickets.

Recruiting soldiers from among thesettlers appears to have been anongoing activity for the militia atFort Massac. While the fort itselfnever came under fire fromEuropeans, the soldiers did engagein conflicts with nearby Indiansduring its history.

Meriwether Lewis and WilliamClark stopped at the fortNovember 11 through 13, 1803,with the intention of collectingnon-commissioned officers and

privates to accompany them on their west-ward explorations. While at the fort, Lewishired local hunter/ scout/interpreter GeorgePierre Drouillard, whose mother was aShawnee and father a French Canadian agentfor the British Indian Agency in Detroit.Drouillard’s expertise was so valued thatLewis hired him away from Bissell at themonthly rate accorded a second lieutenant,$25. He also promised Drouillard a warrantfor land when they returned from the west.

The replicated fort looks much today as itwould have at the time of Lewis and Clark’svisit. However, to protect archaeologicalremains in the ground, the entire site plan forthe replica was shifted just to the east of thefootprint of all the original forts.

StateofIllinoisIllinoisDepartmentofNaturalResources

Officers’quarters.PhotobyR.Kuenneke.

Southwest blockhouse. Photo by R. Kuenneke

FortMassacStatePark

ASelf-GuidedTourofaReplicaofan1802AmericanFort

FortMassacStatePark1308East5thStreet

Metropolis,Illinois62960

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As you enter the replica 1802 fort site, you willcross over a dry moat (#1 on the plan map) viaa wooden bridge (#2). Wooden pickets (#3)made of oak logs 13 feet in length are set on an85-degree angle along the moat to form thefraise, an added defense for the stockade wall(#6). The stockade wall is made of oak logs 16feet in length. You are entering the fort fromthe “back door” (#4). This entrance wouldoriginally have been narrower, but has beenenlarged in the reconstruction to allow pas-sage of modern maintenance vehicles. Theriver side would have been the front of the fort(#5), as rivers were the highways of the 18thand 19th centuries.

The first building you approach onentering the fort from the north is theofficers’ quarters (#7). Another officers’quarters (#8), not yet replicated, wouldhave been just west of this building.These quarters would have housed theofficer and his family, if they had accom-panied him to the frontier, or severalofficers. The replica officers’ quarters is16' x 22' and is made with a stone foun-dation, white oak timbers, poplar floor-ing, and cedar shingles. The building hastwo floors, each with a brick fireplace.The bricks are a reproduction of the typeof bricks made at the fort in the early1800s. The windows and hardware arealso custom-made reproductions. Thewindows show the flown character of theoriginal glass, and the hardware is handforged. The original windows were madein the eastern states and carefully shippeddown the Ohio River to the fort.

With the exception of the powder magazine,the other buildings in the fort were built of

these same construction materials.The powdermagazine (#9)—not yet replicated on site—would have been built of stone.

The fort has two barracks, which were the livingquarters for the soldiers. One or two of therooms with fireplaces would have beenkitchens. There could also have been a roomfor the quartermaster and a room for the ser-geant. The east barracks (#10) is 18' x 75' andhas two stories. There are four rooms on eachfloor and a fireplace on both floors at each endof the barracks. The east barracks has a porch.The west barracks (#11) is 22' x 75' and has four

rooms on each floor. The fireplaces are in thecenter of this building.

There are three blockhouses on three cornersof the fort. The northeast corner of the 1802 fort

did not have a blockhouse. The northwestblockhouse (#12) is 16' x 16' and has two sto-ries. There is a cellar door, but the buildingreplica does not include a cellar excavation.This blockhouse was used for storage. Thesouthwest blockhouse (#13) is 20' x 24' andalso has two stories, each with a fireplace. Thisblockhouse may have housed the medicaldoctor, the civilian storekeeper, or a quarter-master. To illustrate the dynamic aspect of thefort’s architecture, in the reconstruction thisblockhouse has been replicated in a pre-1802style as regards angle of the blockhouse to thestockade wall. The southeast blockhouse

(#14), which was set at a 45-degreeangle to the stockade walls, is 16' x 16'and has three floors. The third floor is alookout tower over the Ohio River. Allblockhouses have ladders to the nextfloor. The ladders are a line of defense: ifthe enemy invades the fort, the soldiersand civilians can go to the second storyof the blockhouse, pull up the ladders,and shoot from the gun ports.

A well surround (#15) is reconstructed inthe center of the fort; another well waspresent in 1802 in the northeastern partof the fort. A trash pit and possibly aprivy were located in the extreme north-eastern corner. The brass-capped wood-en flagpole (#16) is 35' tall. A rockdrainage system (#17) was present with-in the northern half of the fort.

The relative placement of structures and fire-places is based on archaeological evidence.Details such as window glass, door hardware,and flagpole construction are based on eitherarchival research or recovered artifacts.

#1 dry moat with pickets

#2 wooden bridge over dry moat

#3 pickets or fraising

#4 north gate: “back door” of the fort

#5 south gate:Ohio River side and “front” of the fort

#6 stockade wall

#7 officers’ quarters

#8 foundation of officers’ quarter (to be built)

#9 foundation of powder magazine (to be built)

#10 east soldiers’ barracks (with porch)

#11 west soldiers’ barracks

#12 northwest blockhouse

#13 southwest blockhouse* with fireplaces

#14 southeast blockhouse with lookout tower

#15 well

#16 flagpole

#17 drainage ditch

* has a pre-1802 building orientation

Barracks, flagppole, and central well. DNR Photo.

Printed by the Authority of the State of Illinois • DNR202-1M-4/10 • IOCI 0853-10

Reconstruction Plan for 1802 Fort Massac.

Guide to the 1802 fort replication: