Site of Fort Dearborn

Bottom portion of the left image we see the intersection of the Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive ... which was the site of Fort Dearborn ..

There are markers on both sides of the intersection [of Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive] that indicates the site of once existing Fort Dearborn ..
# Left of the intersection is the 360 N Michigan Avenue building / Crain Communication building ..
# Right of intersection is the Michigan Avenue bridgetower and Wacker Drive Esplanade ...





Marker at the entrance of the building 360 N Michigan Avenue reads ..
This building is erected on the site of Fort Dearborn ..
Fort Dearborn Destroyed: 1856
Office Building Erected: 1922 ..

Site of Fort Dearborn ...
Address: Intersection of Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive
Fort Dearborn: Year built: 1803, destroyed: 1812 ...
Second fort erected on the same site: 1816, demolished 1856 ..
Date Designated a Chicago Landmark: September 15, 1971 ..

Non-native settlement of Chicago remained sparse until after the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, when Fort Dearborn was built on the south side of the Chicago River. Fort Dearborn - a U.S. Military Garrison - was the first government building to be built in Chicago. The fort was named for U.S. Secretary of War, Henry Dearborn. Its purpose was to protect the settlers against attacks by Native Americans. It ushered in an era of peaceful trade in the area and served as the country's major western military garrison until August 1812, when it was destroyed following an Indian uprising. A second fort, erected on the same site in 1816. However after the U.S. troops abandoned the Fort in 1837 and it was demolished in 1856. Whatever remained was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1871.

The Crain Communication Building [360 N. Michigan Avenue] was erected on the site in 1922 ...


This marker reads ..

360 N Michigan Avenue
Here stood Fort Dearborn
1803 - 1812

On the south side of the Wacker Drive is the Michigan Avenue bridgetower and the Wacker Drive Esplanade, which also has markers indicating the "site of Fort Dearborn" ..





Chicago Landmark ..
Site of Fort Dearborn
1803
Fort Dearborn served as a major western garrison of the United States until destroyed during an Indian unrising in August of 1812. A second fort erected on the same site in 1816, was demolished in 1856.
Designated a Chicago Landmark on Sepetember 15, 1971,
by the City Council of Chicago.
Richard J Daley, Mayor.
Commission on Chicago Historical and Architectural Landmarks ...



The sculptural relief on the bridgetower is by Henry Hering and is titled "Defence" .. For more on reliefs on the bridgetowers .. Defense, Regeneration, The Pioneers, and The Discoverers .. click here ..