Treaty of Fort Industry facts for kids

This map shows land areas in Ohio. The area labeled 11 was given up by Native American tribes in 1795. The areas labeled 53 and 54 were given up in 1805 with the Treaty of Fort Industry.

The Treaty of Fort Industry was an important agreement signed in 1805. It followed another treaty called the Treaty of Greenville. This new treaty changed the borders of Native American lands in northern Ohio. It moved the eastern border further west.

The new border was 120 miles west of Pennsylvania. This line also matched the western edge of an area called the Firelands. In exchange for this land, the United States agreed to pay the Native American tribes. They promised to pay $1000 every year forever. This money was to be shared among the tribes.

The treaty was signed on July 4, 1805. Charles Jouett, a government agent, signed for the United States. Representatives from the Ottawa, Potawatomi, Chippewa, Wyandot, Munsee, Delaware, and Shawnee tribes also signed it.

Why Was This Treaty Needed?

This picture from the 1920s shows what Fort Industry might have looked like.

The Connecticut Western Reserve was a large area of land. It was claimed by Connecticut in 1785. Parts of this land, including the Firelands, were west of a line set by an earlier treaty. This area was still considered Native American land.

Because of this, there were often disagreements and fights. The Treaty of Greenville helped bring peace to Ohio. However, the border problem in the Western Reserve was not solved. The Treaty of Fort Industry finally fixed this by getting the Firelands area.

What Happened After the Treaty?

The exact spot of "Fort Industry" is still a mystery today. The treaty was signed near the Maumee River. However, no one knows the precise location. It might have been a temporary fort built just for the signing.

Some local stories say the fort was near the Swan River in Toledo, Ohio. But there are no old records to prove this. Government and military papers from that time do not mention any fort with that name. The name "Fort Industry" does not appear in letters or documents from before or after the treaty.

Sometimes, people mistakenly connect the name to General Anthony Wayne. He built forts in western Ohio years before. But General Wayne had already passed away nine years before this treaty was signed.