Fort Washington

Fort Washington was a military post built in 1789 at the confluence of the Ohio and Licking Rivers, designed with a rectangular layout and four corner blockhouses for defense. The structure was surrounded by sturdy wooden walls to protect both the garrison and the growing civilian settlement nearby.

General Josiah Harmar founded the fort in 1789 to defend settlers and trade routes from attacks that remained a threat following the American Revolution. It became one of the most significant military posts on the frontier and played a major role in stabilizing the Ohio region.

The fort served as a gathering place where soldiers and settlers worked together to build the young settlement. People relied on this location as a hub for supplies, news, and community organization during Cincinnati's earliest years.

The location sits in downtown Cincinnati where modern roads have replaced the original fortification. Since the fort no longer stands above ground, walking the streets and looking at historical markers helps visitors understand where the structure once occupied the landscape.

Buried beneath the streets of modern Cincinnati remain parts of the fort that archaeologists uncovered in 1952 during excavations. These hidden remnants of the gunpowder magazine offer a rare glimpse into how people actually lived and worked at this outpost long ago.

Location: Ohio

Inception: 1789

GPS coordinates: 39.09950,-84.50740

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:47