George Rogers Clark National Historical Park | |
Location | 2nd St, S of U.S. 50, Vincennes, Indiana, United States |
---|---|
Coordinates | 38°40′45.1″N 87°32′8.14″W / 38.679194°N 87.5355944°W |
Area | 24.3 acres (9.8 ha) |
Built | 1931 |
Visitation | 145,596[2] (2011) |
Website | George Rogers Clark National Historical Park |
NRHP reference No. | 66000007[1] |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
Designated NHP | July 23, 1966 |
George Rogers Clark National Historical Park, located in Vincennes, Indiana, on the banks of the Wabash River at what is believed to be the site of Fort Sackville, is a United States National Historical Park. President Calvin Coolidge authorized a classical memorial and President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the completed structure in 1936.
On February 25, 1779, Lieutenant Colonel George Rogers Clark, older brother of William Clark, led the capture of Fort Sackville and British Lt. Governor Henry Hamilton as part of the Illinois Campaign, which lasted from 1778 to 1779. The march of Clark's men from Kaskaskia on the Mississippi River in mid-winter and the subsequent victory over the British remains one of the most memorable feats of the American Revolution.
In 1966, Indiana transferred the site to the National Park Service. Adjacent to the memorial is a visitor center which presents interpretive programs and displays. The center is situated on South 2nd Street in Vincennes. The site is located in the Vincennes Historic District.