Fort Crawford facts for kids
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Second Fort Crawford Military Hospital
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Fort Crawford Museum in 2009
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | Rice Street and South Beaumont Rd Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin |
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| NRHP reference No. | 66000121 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | October 9, 1960 |
Fort Crawford was an important outpost for the United States Army. It was located in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, during the 1800s.
Two different forts were built in Prairie du Chien. Both were named Fort Crawford. The first fort was used from 1816 to 1832. The second fort was used from 1832 to 1856. These forts were part of a chain of military posts along the upper Mississippi River. Other forts in this chain included Fort Snelling in Minnesota and Fort Armstrong in Rock Island, Illinois. Fort Crawford was also connected to forts along the Fox–Wisconsin Waterway, like Fort Winnebago and Fort Howard.
Today, the site of the second fort is preserved. It is home to the Fort Crawford Museum. This museum is inside the Second Fort Crawford Military Hospital. This hospital building was rebuilt in the 1930s. It contains the only remaining pieces of either fort. In 1960, it was named a U.S. National Historic Landmark.
Contents
Why Was Fort Crawford Built?
The U.S. Army first came to Prairie du Chien during the War of 1812. They built a fort called Fort Shelby on St. Feriole Island. On July 19, 1814, British forces captured Fort Shelby. They renamed it Fort McKay. The British stayed in Prairie du Chien until 1815. This was after the Treaty of Ghent ended the war. When the British left, they burned Fort McKay. They did not want the Americans to use it again.
To protect Prairie du Chien, U.S. soldiers returned in June 1816. They were ordered to build a new fort where Fort McKay had been. This new fort was named Fort Crawford. It honored William H. Crawford, who was the Secretary of War at the time. The first Fort Crawford was made mostly of wood. It was 343 feet long on each side. It had Blockhouses at two corners. Construction finished in the summer of 1816.
Life at the First Fort
After the fort was built, soldiers worked to keep peace. They helped new white settlers and local Native American tribes get along. Lieutenant Colonel Henry Leavenworth was an early commander. The United States held several meetings with Native American leaders at Fort Crawford. In 1825, a very large meeting took place. Over 5,000 people from many Native American nations gathered. They discussed and signed the first Treaty of Prairie du Chien.
Life at the first Fort Crawford was tough. It was built next to the Mississippi River. This made diseases like malaria and dysentery common among the troops. People back then did not fully understand how mosquitoes or sanitation caused these illnesses. Also, the fort's wooden walls often rotted. This was because of floods that happened almost every spring.
In 1826, a big flood hit the fort. The soldiers were ordered to leave Prairie du Chien. They went to help reinforce Fort Snelling in Minnesota.
Moving to a New Location
In 1827, no soldiers were at Fort Crawford. During this time, a group of Winnebago Indians, led by Chief Red Bird, attacked a settler family. This event started the Winnebago War of 1827. The government sent soldiers back to Prairie du Chien. Soon after, the Army decided the first Fort Crawford was too damaged to use.
In 1828, a decision was made to build a new fort. It would be on higher ground. Major Stephen W. Kearny was the commanding officer. He looked at the area and chose a new spot. It was on a hill near the Mississippi River.
Building the Second Fort Crawford
Construction of the second Fort Crawford started in 1829. Colonel Zachary Taylor oversaw the work. He later became President of the United States. The new fort was on the mainland. This meant it was much safer from floods. Also, it was built with strong limestone instead of wood. This made it more weather-proof.
Building the new fort took a long time. It was not finished until 1835. This was due to the use of stone and delays in government money. Soldiers could not fully move into the new fort until 1832. Until then, they stayed at the first Fort Crawford.
Famous People and Events
Many important things happened at the second Fort Crawford.
Dr. William Beaumont's Discoveries
Army surgeon Dr. William Beaumont worked hard to keep the soldiers healthy. Dr. Beaumont became famous for his experiments on human digestion. He did 56 of these experiments at the Fort Crawford hospital. His work helped him understand how temperature and feelings affect digestion.
The Black Hawk War
In 1832, the Black Hawk War began in Illinois. Soldiers from Fort Crawford were called to protect pioneer settlements. After the Battle of Bad Axe, Chief Black Hawk surrendered. He gave himself up to Colonel Zachary Taylor at Fort Crawford. Black Hawk was held at the fort. Then, Lieutenant Jefferson Davis escorted him to St. Louis, Missouri. Davis had been assigned to Fort Crawford in 1831. He later became the President of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War.
A Love Story at the Fort
While at Fort Crawford, Jefferson Davis met and fell in love with Sarah Knox Taylor. She was Colonel Zachary Taylor's daughter. Colonel Taylor did not approve of their relationship. He thought life as an Army officer's wife was too difficult. In 1834, Davis was sent to Fort Gibson in Oklahoma. Soon after, he left the Army. He wanted to be with Sarah in Prairie du Chien. When he found out her father still would not agree to their marriage, they ran away. They went to Kentucky, where they married in 1835.
Later Years and Abandonment
In the 1840s, soldiers at Fort Crawford built a road. It connected Fort Crawford to Fort Winnebago. This road's path is now followed by U.S. Highway 18. It goes eastward from Prairie du Chien towards Madison, Wisconsin. The area is called Military Ridge because of this road. After the road was finished and the Winnebago Tribe moved to Minnesota, the fort was not needed as much. It was left empty in 1849.
In 1855, Fort Crawford was used again for a short time. There were rumors of a Native American uprising, but nothing happened. Soldiers left the fort for the last time on June 9, 1856. During the American Civil War, the fort was used as part of a hospital.
Fort Crawford Museum Today
Fort Crawford was mostly empty from 1856 to 1933. The only exception was during the American Civil War. Then, it was used as a place to recruit soldiers and as a hospital. In 1933, the Daughters of the American Revolution started rebuilding part of the fort's hospital. They also cleared away other old parts of the fort.
In the 1960s, the rebuilt hospital became a museum. It was called the Fort Crawford Museum of Medical Progress. It showed exhibits about Dr. Beaumont's experiments and other medical advances. The Wisconsin Medical Society ran the museum until 1995. In 1996, the museum was given to the Prairie du Chien Historical Society. It became a museum about local history. It is now called the Prairie du Chien Museum at Fort Crawford. The fort's hospital, which is a National Historic Landmark, still has exhibits about Dr. Beaumont. But nearby buildings now show other parts of Prairie du Chien's history.
