The Rogue River Wars were a series of armed conflicts in southwestern Oregon, fought mainly from 1853 to 1856 between Native American tribes and the U.S. Army, local militias, and volunteers. As a pivotal chapter in the American Indian Wars of the Pacific Northwest, they are sometimes called the Southern Oregon Indian Wars. The fighting … Read more
Fort Lane was a short-lived but pivotal United States Army fortification in Jackson County, Oregon, established on September 21, 1853, to maintain an uneasy armed truce between incoming white settlers and the Native peoples of the Rogue River Valley. Garrisoned by elements of the 1st U.S. Dragoons under Captain Andrew Jackson Smith, the outpost functioned … Read more
John Jacob Astor’s Pacific Fur Company built Fort Astoria, Oregon, in 1811, and it became the first American-owned settlement on the Pacific coast of North America. It stood on the south bank of the Columbia River, about seven miles from where the river meets the ocean. The fort did not stay in American hands for … Read more
Fort Stevens State Park in Oregon sits at the mouth of the Columbia River in Clatsop County, near the towns of Hammond and Astoria. The park covers 4,300 acres and is one of the largest public campgrounds in the country. Fort Stevens State Park offers camping, beach walks, a freshwater lake, 15 miles of trails, … Read more
Nearby, fort clatsop vs. fort stevens shows both forts sit only a few miles apart in Clatsop County, Oregon, near the mouth of the Columbia River. Their names sound alike, but they tell very different parts of the Pacific Northwest and its rich history. Fort Clatsop is a replica of the small log camp where … Read more
Fort Clatsop is where Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery spent the winter of 1805-1806. The small fort sat near the mouth of the Columbia River, just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean. President Thomas Jefferson dispatched the team to explore the western territory. After leaving St. Louis and crossing the Rocky Mountains, the … Read more
For years, people thought the original James Fort had washed away into the James River. In 1994, the Jamestown Rediscovery project began digging and proved the fort’s remains were still on dry land. At Historic Jamestowne, you can see partial reconstructions of James Fort built on its real 1607 site, including sections of the palisade … Read more
Old Fort Harrod State Park in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, is a 15-acre historic park. It sits on the site of Kentucky’s first permanent American settlement. The park’s main attraction is a full-scale replica of the fort James Harrod built in 1774, with cabins and blockhouses filled with pioneer tools, furniture, and utensils. The park also has … Read more
Fort Boonesborough State Park is a historic park on the Kentucky River near Richmond. At Fort Boonesborough, Kentucky, you can tour a rebuilt version of the fort where Daniel Boone founded a settlement in 1775, and you can also camp, swim, or hike. The park covers 153 acres in Madison County and was established in … Read more
Old Fort Western sits on the east bank of the Kennebec River in Augusta, Maine. It is home to the oldest surviving wooden garrison building of its era in the United States, a two-and-a-half-story timber structure built in 1754. For travelers passing through Augusta, the fort makes for an ideal 90-minute stop. A guided tour … Read more