Fort de Chartres facts for kids
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Fort de Chartres
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The gatehouse of Fort de Chartres was reconstructed in the 1930s.
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | Randolph County, Illinois, USA |
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| Nearest city | Prairie du Rocher, Illinois |
| Area | American Bottom |
| Built | 1720 |
| Architectural style | Colonial French Fortification |
| Part of | French Colonial Historic District (ID74000772) |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000329 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | October 09, 1960 |
Fort de Chartres was a strong fortification built by the French in 1720. It was located on the east side of the Mississippi River in what is now Illinois. This fort was an important center for the French government in the area.
Because of river floods, the fort had to be rebuilt two times. The last time, in the 1750s, it was made of strong limestone. This was when France controlled a large area called Louisiana and the Illinois Country.
Today, parts of this last stone fort have been rebuilt. The site is now an Illinois state park. You can find it about four miles (6 km) west of Prairie du Rocher in Randolph County, Illinois. It is south of St. Louis, Missouri, in a flat area known as the American Bottom.
Fort de Chartres is a very important historical place. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places and became a National Historic Landmark in 1966. It is also part of the French Colonial Historic District. This district includes other French-influenced sites like the Creole House and Fort Kaskaskia.
The fort was named to honor Louis, duc de Chartres. He was the son of the French Regent (a ruler who governs when the king is too young). The stone building where gunpowder was stored, called the magazine, is still standing. It is believed to be the oldest building in Illinois. Each summer, the state historic site hosts fun re-enactments. These events show what life was like during the colonial era.
Contents
Exploring Fort de Chartres' Past
French Beginnings: Building the Fort
On January 1, 1718, the French government gave a special business deal to John Law and his Company of the West. They hoped to find valuable metals like gold. So, the company built a fort to protect their business.
The first fort was made of wood. It was built between 1718 and 1720 by French soldiers from New Orleans. Their leader was Pierre Dugué de Boisbriant. The Illinois Country used to be governed from Canada. But then, its government moved to New Orleans. Control was given to the Company of the Indies.
The fort was built to be the main government office. It also helped control the Native American groups in the area, especially the Fox people. This first fort was a fence of logs with two strong towers called bastions at opposite corners.
Rebuilding Due to Floods
Within five years, the Mississippi River flooded often. This left the first fort in very bad shape. So, in 1725, people started building a second fort. This new fort was further from the river, but still in the flood plain. This fort was also made of logs. It had a bastion at each of its four corners.
The second wooden fort lasted longer, but by 1742, it was also falling apart. In 1747, the French soldiers moved to Kaskaskia. This town was about 18 miles (29 km) south and was the main settlement. The French leaders discussed where to build the fort next.
When the French King took back control of the area in the 1730s, officials began talking about building a stone fortress. The government in New Orleans wanted to move the soldiers to Kaskaskia permanently. But the local commander argued for a spot near the original fort.
The government decided to rebuild a stone fort near the first two. They did not build it at Kaskaskia. Construction started in 1753 and was mostly finished in 1754. This new stone fort had walls that were 15 feet (3 m) high and 3 feet (1 m) thick. It covered an area of 4 acres (16,000 m²). The stone for the fort came from cliffs about two or three miles (4 km) away. It had to be carried across a small lake.
British Take Control
In 1763, the Treaty of Paris was signed. This happened after the Seven Years' War (also known as the French and Indian War). France then gave control of the Illinois Country east of the Mississippi River to Great Britain. (Spain got the western part of the Illinois Country in 1762.) The stone fort had been the center of French rule for only twenty years.
It was hard for the British to get soldiers to their new fort. But on October 10, 1765, a small group of soldiers from the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment arrived. Led by Captain Thomas Stirling, they took control of the fort.
The 42nd Regiment was soon replaced by the 34th Regiment. French Canadian settlers were told to leave or get a special permit to stay. Many Canadien settlers moved to St. Louis, where the culture was more familiar. The 34th Regiment of Foot renamed the fort Fort Cavendish. However, it was known as Fort Chartres again from 1768. This was after the 34th Regiment was replaced by the 18th (Royal Irish) Regiment. The British left the fort in May 1772. Most of the 18th Regiment was ordered back to Philadelphia. A small group stayed at Kaskaskia until May 1776.
The Fort's Decline
The Mississippi River continued to cause damage after the fort was left empty. In 1772, the south wall and one of the bastions fell into the river. The other walls also started to break down. By the 1820s, visitors saw trees growing in them. Local people took stones from the fort over the years to use for their own buildings. By 1900, the walls were completely gone. The only part of the original fort that remained was the stone building for storing gunpowder.
Bringing Fort de Chartres Back to Life
Restoration Efforts Begin
The State of Illinois bought the ruins in 1913 as a historic site. They restored the powder magazine in 1917. This powder magazine is believed to be the oldest building still standing in Illinois. In the 1920s, the foundations of the fort's buildings and walls were uncovered.
In the late 1920s and through the 1930s, the US WPA helped rebuild the main gate and two stone buildings.
What You Can See Today
Today, there is a museum and office building. It was built in 1928 on the foundation of an original fort building. Inside, you can see exhibits that show what French life was like at Fort de Chartres.
The large stone "Guards House" was rebuilt in 1936. It has a Catholic chapel decorated like it would have been in the 1750s. There are also rooms for a priest, a gunner, an officer, and guards.
On the grounds, you can also find a working bake oven. There is a garden shed built with upright logs, using a French Colonial style called poteaux-sur-sol. This means "post on sill." There is also a kitchen garden with raised beds. It grows vegetables typical of French Illinois in the 1700s.
Continuing Reconstruction
Parts of the fort's walls were rebuilt on their original foundations in 1989. The frames of some other buildings were put up. This shows the "post-and-beam" building methods used for the original structures. The foundations and cellars of other buildings were also uncovered for visitors to see and learn from.
Today, the site has a museum and a small gift shop. Every June, it hosts a large Rendezvous. This event is one of the biggest and oldest in the country. It celebrates the French and Native American culture of the frontier.
Modern levees protect the site from the Mississippi River. However, the river can still be a threat sometimes. During the flood of 1993, the levee broke. Water rose fifteen feet deep, reaching the top of the fort's walls.
