The Conservancy was thrilled to end 2015 making our final payment on an important historic site in Northwestern Ohio significant to the early formation of the United States known as the Greenville Blockhouse #8. After the Americans defeated the British in the Revolutionary War settlers moved into the Ohio country and were met with resistance from the Midwestern tribes of Native Americans. In 1791 the Confederacy of Midwestern tribes soundly defeated two organized military expeditions against them, led by General Arthur St. Clair. This caused President George Washington to reorganize the army placing it in the command of General Anthony Wayne.
We wrapped up the purchase process and officially became the owners of all that is left of the original fort at Greenville which was constructed in 1793 as a military fort under the command of General Anthony Wayne. This area was very important during the Indian wars and is where the Treaty of Greenville was signed on August 3rd, 1795 which ended the Northwest Indian War and laid the ground work for Ohio to become a state in 1803.
The fort was abandoned in 1796. The town of Greenville grew over the area where the fort was located and destroyed the majority of the archaeological record of the important historic site. Blockhouse 8 was located outside the exterior walls of the main fort and remained preserved for over 200 years in a field that was never commercially developed. The blockhouse was a large, two story structure measuring about 85 feet by 112 feet in size and included a stockade measuring about 200 feet on each side surrounding the building.
–Josh McConaughy, Midwest Regional Field Representative
Learning more about Protecting and Preserving Greenville Blockhouse 8
6 Forts You Didn’t Learn about in History Class
Explore Database of US and Canadian Forts at FortWiki
History of the Northwest Indian War at Ohio History
More History of the Northwest Indian War: Battle of Fallen Timbers
