James A. Ramage Civil War Museum facts for kids
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| Established | June 30, 2005 |
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| Location | Fort Wright, Kentucky, United States |
The James A. Ramage Civil War Museum tells the amazing story of how Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky played a part in the American Civil War. Even though no big battles happened right here, people in the area worked hard to stop the Confederate army in 1862. The museum is built on the spot of an old army fort called Hooper Battery. The museum grounds cover about 17 acres (6.9 hectares). You can see historical facts, stories, and cool items from that time. It also honors the brave Black Brigade of Cincinnati and shares the history of Fort Wright.
Contents
How the Museum Started
In 2004, the city of Fort Wright, Kentucky, learned about a property for sale. This land used to belong to Fern and Sheldon Storer. It was on top of a hill that was very important in history. This hill was one of the places where cannons were set up. These cannons helped protect Cincinnati, Ohio, from about 8,000 Confederate soldiers in September 1862.
Defending Cincinnati
Local men and soldiers worked together to build a strong defense line. It was about eight miles (13 km) long, stretching from Ludlow to Fort Thomas. This line was made to stop the Confederate invasion of Kentucky. The men dug trenches for soldiers to hide in, built forts, and cut down trees. The fallen trees created barriers to slow down enemy soldiers.
Confederate soldiers marched close to Fort Mitchel, which is now called Fort Mitchell. They watched the defenses for two days. They saw that about 25,000 Union troops and 60,000 local volunteers were ready. The Confederate leaders decided the defenses were too strong. They left for Lexington on September 12, after a small fight on September 10 and 11 near Fort Mitchel.
The property where the museum stands was also the home of Fern Storer. She was a well-known food editor for the Cincinnati Post newspaper from 1951 to 1976.
The Museum Today
Fern Storer passed away in 2002. She left her house and 14.5 acres (5.9 hectares) of land to the Northern Kentucky University Foundation. Instead of selling the valuable land to builders, the university foundation sold it to the city of Fort Wright for $790,000. City leaders then announced plans to turn this historic site into a park. The park would focus on the area's Civil War history.
This land is where Hooper Battery was located. It is one of only six Civil War forts left in Northern Kentucky. The City of Fort Wright is in charge of the Hooper Battery archaeological site. They even have public digs where people can help find old items.
In May 2004, Fort Wright Administrator Larry Klein said this would be a "great start to a great park." He noted that other old forts are hard to visit. He said there would be "no place else like this in Greater Cincinnati that'll be preserved and open for public use." Today, only six of these old forts remain.
The museum is named after James A. Ramage. He is a retired history professor from Northern Kentucky University. He won many awards during his time at the university. In 2004, Professor Ramage received a grant to help preserve Hooper Battery. The goal was to work with the City of Fort Wright. They wanted to involve students and the public in saving, researching, and opening Hooper Battery for everyone to see.
On June 30, 2005, the project finished with the opening of the museum on the site. The Mayor and City Council named the museum to honor Professor Ramage's hard work. By September 1, 2006, over 5,000 people had visited the museum.
The Brave Black Brigade
Besides stopping the Confederate army, Cincinnati was also the place of another important event.
On September 2, 1862, Cincinnati's Mayor George Hatch ordered the police to gather all able-bodied African American men. They were needed to work on building the forts in Northern Kentucky. Men were forced from their homes and businesses. They were taken to a holding area in Cincinnati. After hours, they were led across the Ohio River to start working on the earthwork defenses. This group became known as the Black Brigade of Cincinnati.
Union General Lew Wallace heard about the unfair way these men were being treated. On September 4, 1862, he made Judge William Martin Dickson the commander of the Black Brigade.
After becoming commander, Colonel Dickson changed the brigade into a proper working group. On the evening of September 4, 1862, Dickson let the men go home. He told them to take care of their families and get supplies for the work ahead. He promised them they would stay together as a separate group. He also promised they would be protected and treated the same as white men. In return, Dickson expected the men to show up ready for duty the next morning.
In his official report, Dickson said that about 400 men were present when he dismissed the brigade on September 4, 1862. The very next day, over 700 men reported ready for duty! The story of the Black Brigade shows how they proudly served the Union. Because of their bravery, Powhatan Beaty became a strong leader and earned a Medal of Honor on April 6, 1865. A small part of the museum is dedicated to this important story.
Fun at the Museum
The museum is part of the City of Fort Wright. It also accepts donations to help keep it running. The museum hosts different events. One of the most exciting events is the archaeological digs. Since the old fort site was filled in with dirt, it was kept safe for a long time. This gives kids and adults a chance to work together and dig up historical items!
