Fort Prudhomme facts for kids
Fort Prudhomme was a small fort built by French explorers in 1682. It was a simple stockade, which is a fence made of strong wooden posts. The fort was built on one of the high banks, called Chickasaw Bluffs, along the Mississippi River in West Tennessee.
A famous French explorer named La Salle and his team built it. They needed a safe place while looking for a lost member of their group. The fort was only used for about ten days. Fort Prudhomme was the very first building the French ever put up in Tennessee. Today, no one knows exactly where it was located.
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La Salle's Big Adventure
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (1643–1687) was a brave French explorer. In December 1681, he began an exciting journey. La Salle led 41 people on a canoe trip. They started from what is now Peoria County, Illinois, on the Illinois River. Their goal was to explore the huge Mississippi River basin all the way to its mouth.
A Lost Team Member
As they traveled down the river, the group stopped to hunt. But then, one of their team members disappeared! His name was Pierre Prudhomme, and he was the group's armorer (someone who repairs weapons). Everyone worried that Chickasaw Indians might have captured him. La Salle decided they had to stay and search for their lost friend.
Building Fort Prudhomme
To keep his team safe during the search, La Salle decided to build a fort. They built the stockade fort on top of one of the high Mississippi River bluffs in Tennessee. This fort was the first structure ever built by the French in Tennessee. La Salle named it "Fort Prudhomme" after the missing armorer.
Ten days later, something amazing happened. Pierre Prudhomme found his way back to the camp! He was unharmed but very hungry. He had simply gotten lost while hunting. With their friend back, the expedition continued their journey downriver. La Salle reached the mouth of the Mississippi River on April 6, 1682. He claimed the entire Mississippi River valley for France. This land remained French territory until 1762.
Where Was Fort Prudhomme?
The exact spot where Fort Prudhomme stood is still a mystery. Historians and researchers have different ideas about its location. Everyone agrees it was on the Chickasaw Bluffs. But there are four main bluffs, and no one knows which one it was!
Different Ideas for the Location
Some historians believe Fort Prudhomme was on the first Chickasaw Bluff. This bluff is in modern-day Lauderdale County, Tennessee. It might have been near where Fort Pillow is today. Fort Pillow was a fort built much later during the American Civil War.
The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture suggests it was on the second Chickasaw Bluff. This bluff is south of the Hatchie River, near modern-day Randolph, Tennessee in Tipton County, Tennessee.
Other research points to the third Chickasaw Bluff. This would place the fort near the border of modern-day Tipton and Shelby Counties. Part of this area is now Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park.
Finally, some sources think La Salle built Fort Prudhomme on the fourth Chickasaw Bluff. This bluff is where modern-day Memphis, Tennessee is located, below the mouth of the Wolf River. This spot is also where the French later built Fort Assumption in 1739.
Approximate Bluff Locations
The table below shows the approximate locations of the four Chickasaw Bluffs. These are all possible places where Fort Prudhomme might have been built. The bluffs are listed from north to south.
| Bluff | Location (north to south) | County | Coordinates (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | Above Fulton | Lauderdale | 35°37′26″N 89°52′12″W / 35.624°N 89.870°W |
| Second | At Randolph | Tipton | 35°30′58″N 89°53′17″W / 35.516°N 89.888°W |
| Third | Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park | Tipton and Shelby | 35°22′16″N 90°03′54″W / 35.371°N 90.065°W |
| Fourth | Below the mouth of the Wolf River at Memphis | Shelby | 35°08′28″N 90°03′18″W / 35.141°N 90.055°W |
