| Rudysnelson | 18 May 2012 5:00 a.m. PST |
My wife's friend is being transferred to Toledo. Her husband is into history and wondered if there were any historic sites within an hour to two hours from Toledo.
I told them about the 'Drums on the Muamee" convention.
Thanks |
| 21eRegt | 18 May 2012 5:44 a.m. PST |
You can't beat Fort Meigs just down the road for a touch of history and great displays from the War of 1812. I think it is a full 10 acres enclosed in a heavy palisade. One of the neatest recreated things there are the berms inside. During the British seiges they built them to stop cannon balls that cleared the walls from doing more damage inside. They have a great new visitor center and inside the fort are more displays including a wonder diorama of the construction during the War of 1812. They host several reenactments or commemorative weekends during the year. Although I'm about 7 hours away we still attend an event most years. |
| corporalpat | 18 May 2012 7:09 a.m. PST |
Also, River Raisin battlefield is just north of Toledo, plus Monroe, MI is Custer's adopted hometown. Here is a link to some sites. link |
| zippyfusenet | 18 May 2012 7:20 a.m. PST |
Besides Fort Meigs, the remains of British Fort Miamis are in a Toledo city park at the foot of the Maumee Rapids. Fort Miamis is just a ruin, but it's worth a look. The Fallen Timbers battlefield is very near Toledo, between the two forts. Depending on how interested you are in Crazy Tony Wayne and Chief Turkeyfoot, you could spend an hour or a day. The Maumee floodplain nature preserve right there is also an interesting walk. Piqua Ohio is about two hours down I-75 from Toledo. The Fort Pickawillany historic site is a bit north of Piqua. That's the place where Captain Langlade of the Troupes de la Marine killed and ate Miami Chief Old Britain in 1752. Nice museum covering several eras. Dayton Ohio is a bit beyond your friend's two-hour range, but really worth it. Dayton hosts the US Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson AFB. Also a Wright Brothers Memorial and Museum that's very interesting, and the Wrights' preserved bicycle shop on a different site. Also Sunwatch Village, an excavated (and reconstructed! with museum!) Fort Ancient Indian village. There's more than one day-trip in Dayton, I could spend a week there. |
| Rudysnelson | 18 May 2012 7:38 a.m. PST |
Thanks guys these will be a great help to them. |
| Jeffrey P | 18 May 2012 11:16 a.m. PST |
PS: The site of Fort Miami is located in Maumee, Ohio, at the end of Michigan Avenue. It's located on the old River Road, and just a mile or so from the Wolcott House museum, a restored 1830s home. Maumee also has the remains of the locks from the canal era. The old locks are just south of Maumee. A replica canal boat with mules is featured in Grand Rapids, Ohio, a few miles south of Maumee. |
| Douglas Anders | 18 May 2012 12:07 p.m. PST |
In August a few Navy ships will be in Downtown Toledo for Navy week and tours will be offered. The rebuilt War of 1812 Brig Niagara will be there, and, if I recall correctly, a modern frigate or two. |
| skinkmasterreturns | 18 May 2012 1:22 p.m. PST |
South Bass island is not far,with Perry's Monument,too.South Bass is alot of fun in itself- you take the ferry over,rent a bike and ride over to the winery and have a few glasses. The bike ride is even more fun when youre half-sloshed. |
| zippyfusenet | 18 May 2012 2:32 p.m. PST |
Niagara is a beauty, fantastic to go aboard, even better to see her sail. And I heard that the Tall Ships will be coming up the Lakes for the 1812 bi-centennial. |
| Sergeant Crunch | 18 May 2012 7:41 p.m. PST |
Not really historical, but Cedar Point in Sandusky is the best amusement park as far as I'm concerned. My opinion is biased though, I grew up in Fremont, about 45~50 miles from Toledo and about 20 from Sandusky. Fremont was the home of President Rutherford B. Hayes. There is a museum there as well as tours of the house. rbhayes.org/hayes During the War of 1812 Fremont was the site of Ft Stephenson, which with only one cannon (Old Betsy) defeated an assault by a British landing party and Native Americans under Tecumseh. Unfortunately the site of the fort is in downtown and is now the county library. There is a monument there and Old Betsy still stands guard over the banks of the Sandusky river. There a number of historical marker all within walking distance of the library that give different parts of the story of the battle. My middle school was the next block over from the library. Every so often I get the idea to play out the battle in miniature. See this link for the cliff notes version link or here for some more detail link
Clyde, 5 miles east of Fremont, was the home Gen McPherson. Though to be honest I don't really know what is there for museums or the like other than his statue in the cemetary on US20 as you come into town.
Of course in Toledo you will be in the area at the root of the rivalry between Ohio and that state to the north. toledowar.com |
| tyler hamm | 19 May 2012 2:31 p.m. PST |
The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI are definitely worth checking out. Dearborn is about 45 min. north of Toledo. |
| FoxtrotPapaRomeo | 19 May 2012 10:51 p.m. PST |
Fort Wayne IN (reconstruction of fort in 1815-ish)
Fort Recovery and Fallen Timbers, OH
Fort Wayne Detroit MI
British Fort in Ontario just across from Detroit
USAF Museum Dayton OH (B70 Valkyrie is AWEsSOME)
Chillicothe (20 years ago had a great Tecumseh outdoor play) lots of little places that hold trappers and traders weekends and lots of 1700-1812 historical sites Regards from Australia |
