Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne is a 19th-century military installation on the Detroit River that includes a limestone barracks complex and brick defensive walls. The complex spreads across 96 acres facing the water and contains several original buildings, including the main gate and officers' quarters.

The installation began construction in 1842 to defend Detroit during border tensions with Canada. During World War I, it served as a training facility for African American units organized into separate battalions.

The name honors General Anthony Wayne, who fought against an indigenous coalition nearby in 1794. Visitors can walk along the riverfront promenade and view the massive walls that once housed hundreds of soldiers.

The installation opens on weekends between May and October, with guided tours offered through the barracks and defensive structures. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear as the grounds include uneven paths and stairs.

Archaeologists discovered nineteen indigenous burial mounds at this site near the mouth of the Rouge River. The location was inhabited and used as a burial ground more than 900 years before the fort was built.