Fort Recovery State Museum
September, 2014
George Ironstrack, Sunday, September 7 at 3:00
For certain this is one presentation you will not want to miss. This Summer 2014
Series concluding speaker, George Ironstrack is a member of the Miami Indian Tribe
of Oklahoma. He is the Assistant Director and Education Coordinator for the
Myaamia Project at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where he and his family reside.
Ironstrack also serves on the Board of Directors of the Ohio History Connection and
was a commentator on the Fort Recovery Forgotten Histories DVD. He was a
presenter at the museum several years ago and was well received. (Lots of
comments: “Bring him back!”) You won’t want to miss his description and poignant
thoughts concerning: “Miami Native Americans, Past and Present.” (Most Fort Recovery Museum Patrons
are well aware that the chief of the Native American Confederation that defeated St. Clair’s Army was
Miami Chief, Little Turtle.)
Greenville Treaty Line Marker/Sycamore Tree Dedication Ceremony – Sept. 28, Fort Loramie!
Well if the snow gives you any indication, you can tell
from the picture that it has been many months since a
group of historians from the Fort Loramie/Shelby
County area first began combing locations in search of
the beginning of the Greenville Treaty Line. In the
picture Ken Sowards (a Fort Recovery patron) and John
Copsey of Piqua mark the spot in a snowy wood near
Fort Loramie where a sycamore tree might have stood
more than 200 years ago. That tree was the starting point for laying out the Greeneville Treaty Line which
established new western boundaries for the United States in 1797.
In the second picture, Sowards, Tilda Phlipot and Brad Turner look over historical maps to assist in
the location of the starting point of the Greeneville Treaty Line. All have participated in the effort to place
a marker there and then to plan the September 28th ceremony for the marker commemoration and the
Sycamore Tree Dedication. The public is invited to this memorable event which occurs at 1:00 on Sunday,
September 28 at Fort Loramie Elementary School and concludes at the actual site on the Gigandet Farm,
2770 Route 705 West. What an educational event to which to take your children!
Speakers for the dedication are: Ken Sowards; Dr. Steven Littleton; Greg Shipley and James
Williams. (All but Williams have been featured speakers at our museum in Fort Recovery.) Plan to attend
this interesting and significant event. Admission is free. I hope to meet you there!
ONE of a Kind Auction – 5:00, October 19! Middle School Auditeria. Make Plans Now!
Predictions are that the event tickets will go quickly. Each year the attendance has grown and more
tables are added, but we are at the point that no more tables can be added, so get your tickets early from
any historical society or Project Recovery member. Or stop at the museum where auction and diamond
necklace tickets will be available on weekends during September.
Once again many unique items have been donated by generous community people and museum
supporters. Check out the www.fortrecoverymuseum.com or Fort Recovery State Museum on Facebook to
see the colorful prizes. Don’t forget, there will be 5 cannonballs auctioned off! Who wouldn’t love to have
that unique piece of history in his/her home or garden?
Jones Jewelry of Celina has donated a diamond pendant necklace for the special auction. It is white
gold and valued at nearly $1100. Tickets are available not only from members but also at sporting events
at Fort Recovery Schools this fall. Money raised from the auction will be used to maintain our historic
buildings, and some of the income (if possible) may go to the proposed historic murals to be painted in our
town in preparation/observance of the town’s 225th birthday!
Thanks Jim and Carolyn Vaughn
Once again Dr. Jim and Carolyn have kept FR brick street’s planters filled and thriving with pretty
flowers throughout the summer. What a nice feeling it creates in the Fort Recovery downtown. Thank you
Vaughn’s!
Fort Defiance - Wayne, “I defy all the devils in Hell to take it!”
In the August newsletter, Fort Adams was described. Fort Defiance was the next fort in the series of
Wayne Forts. Wayne considered the Grand Glaise to be “the grand emporium of the hostile Indians of the
West.” The Grand Glaise was the land area at the confluence of the Maumee and Auglaize Rivers and had
been important to the Indians going back to the early 1700’s. When Wayne’s men scouted this area, they
found it to be home to the villages of major chiefs of several tribes of the Indian Confederation including
Little Turtle of the Miami, Blue Jacket of the Shawnee and Buckongahelas of the Delaware.
In the fall of 1792, nearly a year after the Battle of the Wabash (St. Clair’s Defeat), this area hosted
the largest concentration of Native Americans assembled in one spot up to that time. Over 4000 gathered
to reaffirm their insistence that the Ohio River be the boundary for white settlement. But now Anthony
Wayne was marching right into their territory. As Indian scouts realized that Wayne and his army were
leaving Fort Adams and were headed to the glaize, the chiefs and their tribes abandoned their villages.
On August 7,when Wayne reached this area at the confluence of the rivers, he sought to neutralize
it by building a strong post there. His army spent a week defiantly building a fort at this strongest point of
Indian power and British influence. With all the troops involved, the fort was completed by August 15.
Wayne was so satisfied with the post’s sturdiness that he “defied all the devils in Hell to take it,” and
named it Fort Defiance! The Indians never got the opportunity to test that fort, because 5 days later they
met Wayne’s army at Fallen Timbers where they were soundly defeated.
As part of the terms of the Greeneville Treaty, Wayne insisted that Fort Defiance remain under U.S.
control, even though it was on the Indian side of the boundary. None of Fort Defiance remains. On that
site today is the Defiance Public Library, a small city park and a Fort Defiance sign overlooking the still
scenic glaize.
Museum Events/Information
1. September 13 The Fort Recovery Industries will have FRI Family Night the evening of the 13th at
VanTrees Park. As part of its activities, guests at the event will be able to sign up for one of three
tours of the museum to be given especially for them during the early evening hours.
2. September 19-20-21 Over 150 Boy Scouts are coming to Fort Recovery to camp 19-21. On
Saturday, they will divide into groups and take guided tours of the log cabins, the fort, the
monument, Pioneer Cemetery and the museum. Thanks to the following museum volunteers who
will provide the information at each station: Sharon Ontrop; Kathy Thobe; Helen LeFevre; Jack
Hemmelgarn and Kevin Keller. Thanks Don Brewer for spearheading this boy scout event!
3. All of September is Native American Month in Ohio, and the third week as been designated as
Native American Week. Our featured speaker, Ironstrack on the 7th, certainly fits the legislative
designated theme!
4. Starting after Labor Day, the museum will be open only on Saturdays and Sundays. (Other days can
be arranged by appointment – 419-375-4384)
Happy Fall, nk