Blue Mounds Fort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fort Blue Mounds
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Sign across the river from the original site.
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| Location | Dane County, Wisconsin, United States |
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| Nearest city | Blue Mounds |
| Built | May 10, 1832 |
| NRHP reference No. | 01001044 |
| Added to NRHP | September 24, 2001 |
Fort Blue Mounds was an important fort located in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin. It was also known as Blue Mounds Fort. This fort played a key role during the Black Hawk War in 1832, protecting settlers in the area.
Building the Fort
The town of Blue Mounds was started in 1828 by Ebenezer Brigham. It was built near the Blue Mounds hills. In 1832, news spread that Chief Black Hawk and about 1200 of his Sauk followers had crossed the Mississippi River. Because of this, the settlers decided to build a fort to keep everyone safe.
Work on Fort Blue Mounds began on May 10, 1832. The people of Blue Mounds helped build it, led by Colonel Ebenezer Brigham. The fort was built on a high, open field. This spot was about a mile south of Eastern Mound. From here, defenders could see for miles in many directions. The mound itself protected the north side of the fort.
News quickly reached the settlement about a battle on May 14, 1832. This fight was between Black Hawk's group and the Illinois militia. The Illinois militia lost this battle, which was called the Battle of Stillman's Run. This made the settlers very worried. They worked quickly to finish the fort in about two weeks.
From May to September 1832, settlers and miners joined General Henry Dodge's Michigan Territory Militia. They helped defend the area during the Black Hawk War.
Who Led the Fort?
James Aubrey was the first leader at Fort Blue Mounds. Sadly, he lost his life in a conflict on June 6. After him, his first lieutenant, Edward Beouchard, took command. He led for a short time before Captain John Sherman became the fort's commander.
What Did the Fort Look Like?
The land where the fort once stood was owned by Colonel Brigham's family. They later gave it to the Wisconsin Historical Society. The society made it a state historical site on September 5, 1921.
Archaeologists have dug at the site to learn more about the fort. They found that Fort Blue Mounds was built much like the Apple River Fort in Illinois. The fort was surrounded by a strong fence made of pointed logs. This fence was about 150 feet (46 meters) long on each side. The walls were made from tall oak trees, about 16 or 17 feet (4.9 to 5.2 meters) high. About 3 feet (0.9 meters) of each tree trunk was planted firmly in the ground.
At two of the fort's corners were square blockhouses. These small, strong buildings were about 20 feet (6.1 meters) on each side. Inside the fort, there was a log building in the center. It was 30 by 20 feet (9.1 by 6.1 meters). This building was used as a storage area and a place for soldiers to sleep.
Fort Blue Mounds Today
On May 22, 2010, the marker for Fort Blue Mounds was rededicated. This happened after three years of fundraising by the Blue Mounds Area Historical Society. The marker was cleaned and placed on a large rock. This rock was given by Blue Mound State Park. The marker sits on the original site of the fort. However, the site is not currently open to the public.
