The Fallen Timbers Battlefield was the site of the
Battle of Fallen Timbers
The Battle of Fallen Timbers (20 August 1794) was the final battle of the Northwest Indian War, a struggle between Native American tribes affiliated with the Northwestern Confederacy and their British allies, against the nascent United States ...
on 20 August 1794. The battle, a decisive American victory over Native American and British opponents, effectively ended the
Northwest Indian War
The Northwest Indian War (1786–1795), also known by other names, was an armed conflict for control of the Northwest Territory fought between the United States and a united group of Native American nations known today as the Northwestern ...
, securing the
Old Northwest
The Northwest Territory, also known as the Old Northwest and formally known as the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, was formed from unorganized western territory of the United States after the American Revolutionary War. Established in 1 ...
for settlement. An area believed to be the battle site, located in
Maumee, Ohio
Maumee ( ) is a city in Lucas County, Ohio, United States. Located along the Maumee River, it is about 10 miles southwest of Toledo. The population was 14,286 at the 2010 census. Maumee was declared an All-America City by the National Civic L ...
, was declared a
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
in 1960.
That site, now the Fallen Timbers State Memorial, is about south of the actual battlefield, which was identified in 1995, and much of which is now preserved as part of the Fallen Timbers Battlefield and Fort Miamis National Historic Site along with
Fort Miami. The
National Historic Site was established in 1999 as a partnership between the
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...
, Toledo MetroParks, and the Ohio Historical Society.
Setting
The battlefield site is a parcel in size, located in southwestern Maumee, bounded by
Interstate 475 to the east,
United States Route 24
U.S. Route 24 (US 24) is one of the original United States highways of 1926. It originally ran from Pontiac, Michigan, in the east to Kansas City, Missouri, in the west. Today, the highway's eastern terminus is in Independence Township, Mic ...
to the south, Jerome Road to the west, and a railroad right of way south of Monclova Road to the north. Most of the area is relatively flat and open, except for the central area, which is a heavily wooded ravine that was a major feature of the terrain that influenced the course of the battle.
The site was relatively undisturbed for most of its time after the battle, seeing logging and some agricultural activity. The ravine was apparently left undisturbed due to the difficulty of its terrain. The battlefield area was identified by an archaeological survey in 1995, and further investigation in 2001 identified the locations of the battle lines and other features.
[
]
State Memorial
The state memorial is located south of the national historic site, between US 24 and the Maumee River
The Maumee River (pronounced ) ( sjw, Hotaawathiipi; mia, Taawaawa siipiiwi) is a river running in the United States Midwest from northeastern Indiana into northwestern Ohio and Lake Erie. It is formed at the confluence of the St. Joseph and ...
. It is in size, set on high ground overlooking the river valley. The principal features of the site are three commemorative items: the Battle of Fallen Timbers Monument
The Battle of Fallen Timbers Monument or Anthony Wayne Memorial is a statuary group created by Bruce Saville.
It was dedicated in 1929 at the site of the Battle of Fallen Timbers which took place on August 20, 1794. At that battle General "Mad ...
, installed in 1929, a plaque listing the United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
soldiers who fought in the battle, and Turkey Foot Rock. The latter is a boulder on which a turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
foot has been carved, supposedly marking the place where Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
chief Turkey Foot was slain. It has been moved from its original location at the base of Presque Isle Hill, two miles south of Maumee City and four miles south of the site of Fort Miamis. From what we now know about the location of the battle, that location was not within the battlefield.
Although this site was designated a National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
in 1960, an updated landmark nomination is being prepared to correct the boundaries to include the actual battlefield site.[
]
See also
*List of National Historic Landmarks in Ohio
This is a List of National Historic Landmarks in Ohio and other landmarks of equivalent landmark status in the state. The United States' National Historic Landmark (NHL) program is operated under the auspices of the National Park Service, and reco ...
*
Gallery
File:Turkey Foot Rock, on the bank of the historic Maumee, near Toledo, Ohio - DPLA - c42c4334f656442f4f998bf99d786494 (page 1).jpg, Turkey Foot Rock, at Fallen Timbers Battlefield
File:Fallen Timbers Battlefield and Fort Miamis National Historic Site (b0ffcc84-e191-4025-aa14-49504cd0717f).jpg, A path at Fallen Timbers Battlefield
File:Battle of Fallen Timbers-2c.jpg, Stamp Commemorating the Battle of Fallen Timbers
File:Fallen Timbers Battlefield and Fort Miamis National Historic Site (824ee4f2-0a9d-4212-b3fd-cac2d939f5b3).jpg, Statue and memorial to Fallen Timbers Battlefield
File:Monument to General Anthony Wayne on the site of the Battle of Fallen Timbers, Maumee, Ohio - DPLA - 48f8db48b323e07069f854793ece2635 (page 1).jpg, Historic postcard of the monument to General Anthony Wayne
References
External links
Fallen Timbers Battlefield National Historic Site
National Park Service
{{Metroparks Toledo
Northwest Indian War
National Historic Landmarks in Ohio
Parks in Ohio
Protected areas of Lucas County, Ohio
National Register of Historic Places in Lucas County, Ohio
Conflict sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Ohio
Metroparks Toledo