Forts of Vincennes, Indiana

Fort Vincennes, Fort Sackville, Fort Patrick Henry
Vincennes, Indiana
TypeFort
Site information
Controlled by New France
 Kingdom of Great Britain
 United States
Site history
Built1731-32, 1736
In use1732-1736, 1736-1766, 1778-79
Materialswood
Battles/warsFirst Battle of Vincennes;Battle of Vincennes
Garrison information
Past
commanders
Leonard Helm, Henry Hamilton, George Rodgers Clark
Garrison90
Fort Knox II Site
Reconstructed palisades at the site of Fort Knox II
Forts of Vincennes, Indiana is located in Indiana
Forts of Vincennes, Indiana
Forts of Vincennes, Indiana is located in the United States
Forts of Vincennes, Indiana
Nearest cityVincennes, Indiana
Area1.8 acres (0.73 ha)
Built1803 (1803)
NRHP reference No.82000045[1]
Added to NRHPMarch 24, 1982

During the 18th and early 19th centuries, the French, British and U.S. forces built and occupied a number of forts at Vincennes, Indiana. These outposts commanded a strategic position on the Wabash River. The names of the installations were changed by the various ruling parties, and the forts were considered strategic in the French and Indian War, the American Revolutionary War, the Northwest Indian War and the War of 1812. The last fort was abandoned in 1816.

The settlement around the forts was best known as the territorial capital of the Northwest Territory (later, the Indiana Territory). The best known event was Gen. William Henry Harrison's mustering of forces at Vincennes just prior to his campaign against the Indian capital at Prophetstown in Tippecanoe, culminating in the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 during the War of 1812.

The former site of what is known as "Fort Knox II" has been marked and preserved as a state historic site. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.