The Wolcott House Complex contains seven 19th century buildings. The only structure original to the site is the Wolcott House which evolved from a one and a half story log house to a magnificent two story, 14 room Federal style "mansion" between 1827 and 1836. The Wolcott House was built by James Wolcott, a Connecticut entrepreneur and his wife, Mary Wells, the daughter of noted Indian scout, William Wells and grand daughter of the great Miami Chief, Little Turtle. The house overlooks the Maumee River where Wolcott's shipbuilding and wholesaling activity took place. Wolcott was an early mayor and community leader in Maumee. Additional buildings relocated to the site include the Ohio saltbox farmhouse built by Jarvis Gilbert in 1841, which interprets 19th century farm life; an 1850 log house which once overlooked the Miami Wabash Canal; an 1880 railroad station with box car and caboose; a 1901 Gothic style country church and a c.1840 Greek Revival townhouse which houses the museum gift shop. All buildings are authentically furnished.  Click here to go to the Wolcott House Museum web-site.  

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Fallen Timbers Battleground

In the summer of 1794, U.S. forces under Major General Anthony Wayne moved north from Greeneville to force a confrontation with a confederacy of Native American warriors over control of the Northwest Territory (today comprising the states of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois & Wisconsin). In ending the American Revolution, the Treaty of Paris of 1783 permitted the British to continue to occupy this area until the U.S. settled its differences with the Native American groups who had supported the British in that war. Between 1784 and 1790, the U.S. failed to reach a negotiated settlement and in 1790 and 1791 had suffered military defeats at the hands of the Indian army.

Appointed Commander-in-Chief in 1792, Wayne raised and trained a reorganized army known as the Legion of the United States. By the fall of 1793, he had moved the Legion from Fort Washington (Cincinnati) to Greeneville, its winter camp. In July of 1794, the Legion of the United States and units of the Kentucky militia began a march to the Miamis (Maumee) Valley, the refuge of the Indian Confederacy. Among the officers of the Legion were General James Wilkinson, Lt. William Henry Harrison, Capt. William Clark (later joined by Meriweather Lewis), William Wells, Chief of Scouts and Zebulon Pike. The Native confederacy was lead by Little Turtle (Miami), Blue Jacket (Shawnee), Little Otter (Ottawa), Crane (Wyandot) and Buckongehelas (Delaware). Also present was Tecumseh. By mid-August, the warriors and their families had retreated to the lower rapids of the Maumee and were preparing to make a stand near the newly built British military post, Fort Miamis.

Wayne arrived at Roche de Bout on August 18th and the next day constructed a small post (Camp Deposit at Waterville). On the 20th, a cloudy, humid Wednesday morning, Wayne began his march down river about 7:00 a.m. The Legion was arrayed in three parallel columns; each separated by at least 200 yards. The left and right columns each consisted of two Sub-Legions of infantry while the center contained Wayne's headquarters, the artillery, and elements of the Light Infantry and Dragoons. The spare ammunition, necessary baggage, and provisions for three days were also in the center column. Each flank of the army was screened by a Legion rifle company and mounted militia also guarded the left flank. Two companies of infantry served as a front guard and these were preceded by 150 mounted Kentucky militia. The 700-900 Legionnaires were augmented by about 1500 Kentucky militia. The advancing army formed a front about .5 mile wide as it marched through the uplands, parallel to the valley of the Maumee.

After marching about four miles, “a little after 8”, the advance units of Wayne's army struck the center of an ambush line of 900-1100 warriors arrayed along a front nearly one mile wide. From the edge of the bluffs above the river the following tribes were represented, respectively: Chippewa, Ottawa, Pottawatomi, Shawnee, Delaware and Mingo (later, “Ohio Seneca”), Wyandot and 60-100 British rangers/militia. The U.S. advance was overwhelmed and driven back more than 500 yards and through the front of the main army, which began to organize itself into a battle line. As the columns of infantry marched on to the battlefield and displayed into “line of battle”, Light Infantry companies, later reinforced by Rifle companies, were sent forward to establish a skirmish line some 160 yards in front of the main line. On the right, Gen. Wilkinson formed his two Sub-Legions into a single battle line some 800 yards wide. On the left, Col. Hamtramck ordered his two Sub-Legions to form two parallel lines. In the center, artillery companies opened fire with exploding shells, then switched to grape shot as the warriors continued the attack.

The skirmish line slowed the attacking warriors, who sought cover in an area of fallen timbers and began a harassing fire. They continued to press the attack and attempted to flank the skirmishers. A fierce fire-fight, developed and the warriors were able to force the skirmish line to fall back at least 80 to 100 yards, bringing the main battle line under fire. Captain Robert MisCampbell was ordered to flank the warriors, but instead rode through Wilkinson's line, into the fallen timbers and met his death.

At about the same time, the Legion charged and immediately turned the tide of battle. The warriors were quickly driven from the fallen timbers and forced to flee through the woods towards their villages and the British post downstream. The Legion and militia pursued their enemy for about a mile, then halted and reorganized. The men were issued 1/2 gill of whiskey and stood in formation for four hours while a campsite was selected.

In the battle of Fallen Timbers each side lost less than 100 men. However, the failure of the British Army to use its artillery in support of their allies, broke the spirit of the Indian Confederacy which had, up to this point, successfully resisted US encroachment of their lands. Within a year, at the Treaty of Greeneville, the Native tribes had ceded all of southern Ohio as well as several strategic areas in other parts of the Old Northwest. The withdrawal of the British under the provisions of the 1796 Jay Treaty, removed the possibility of future support for the tribes, and guaranteed eventual US control over the area north of the Ohio River.

Click here to go to the Metro Parks Fallen Timbers Website.

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Canals/Locks

On the main line of the canal from Providence to Manhattan there were nine locks each of which provided for raising or lowering boats. Their height varied from five to eight feet. All these locks were built of stone quarried at Marblehead on the Sandusky Peninsula , and brought in by lake ships. At Maumee, Toledo and Manhattan there were side cuts, or branch canals, which enabled boats to lock into the Maumee River. The side-cut at Maumee, running through what is now Side-Cut Park, was two and a half miles long and required six locks to reach the river level.

There was more to canal digging than merely shoveling dirt. The line had first to be grubbed and cleared. This meant that all brush had to be cleared out, trees felled and the stumps pulled or blasted out. Digging with pick and shovel and wheelbarrows could then begin, but great care had to be taken to make the banks solid and secure. This meant that there should be no rubbish or loose dirt in any bank, and that all brooks should be made to drain away or be led under the canal by culverts. This was highly important because heavy rains could easily lead to undermining or washing away weak bank construction. One bank, of course, had to be specially prepared for the towpath. Finally, it was necessary to line or “puddle” the entire canal bed with clay to prevent erosion.

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Fort Meigs

It was the winter of 1813 and the United States was losing the war. The invasion of Canada had been turned back, with two American armies destroyed in the Northwest. Brigadier General William Henry Harrison, American commander in the Northwest, desperately tried to pull together the men and supplies needed to stop the British and Indians from capturing Ohio and Territories of Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan.

Harrison decided to build a fortified camp to protect his men and supplies until he was ready to move north.

Harrison planned two expeditions in these early months. In February he sent a detachment to attack a large party of Indians at Maumee Bay, the site of what is now Toledo, but the Indians left before the men got there. An expedition set out in March across frozen Lake Erie to destroy British supplies and ships at Fort Malden. (photos by Jennifer L. Pauken)

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Turkey Foot Rock

The legend of Turkey Foot Rock is among the oldest in early Maumee Valley history.

Against the advice of Chief Little Turtle of the Miami, who counseled that resistance was futile, the Indians engaged in combat with General “Mad” Anthony Wayne on the morning of August 20, 1794.

According to legend, Chief Turkey Foot rallied his warriors from a large boulder on the battlefield in the very midst of heavy fighting. He was struck and killed by an American rifle shot while he was standing on the rock. The Indians retreated.

For many years afterward, as the story goes, Indians passing through the valley paused to burn their sacred tobacco at the site in tribute to Chief Turkey Foot's bravery. Some left offerings of dried meat, grain and trinkets. Many of the mourners carved inscriptions in the limestone boulder.

By 1840, most of the Indians were gone from the Valley, but the rock was already acquiring significance as a historical relic to the settlers of this area of the Maumee River. It was not until the 1880's however, that an effort was made to appropriately mark and preserve such landmarks as Fort Meigs, Fort Miamis, Fallen Timbers Battleground, and Turkey Foot Rock.

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Fort Miamis

The Maumee River goes around another bend where it finally comes across Fort Miamis, the first established fort on the Maumee River. The fort was originally built by the British on the possible site of a trading post. Eventually the British took control and transformed it into a fort during the Indian Wars of the early 1790's. It was used to protect the British troops, along with their allies, the Indians. It is located on the north bank of the Maumee River, within the city of Maumee, a mile from Toledo.

On August 20, 1794, however, General “Mad Anthony” Wayne defeated the Indians at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, and the British refused to let the beaten Indians into the fort. With no where else to turn, the Indians were forced to sign the Treaty of Greenville on August 3, 1795, setting the stage for eventual statehood. The British eventually surrendered Fort Miamis to the United States in 1796, and it is now a city park, where a recent archeological dig discovered some remnants from the original Fort Miamis.

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Dudley's Massacre

It was on the fifth of May that the Americans suffered a particularly bloody and unnecessary defeat known as “Dudley's Defeat.”

The defeat, also known as “Dudley's Massacre,” involved military brilliance and bungling, cowardice and bravery, and a manifestation of the violence that often accompanied life in America's early days.

It occurred during the first siege of Fort Meigs during the War of 1812.

On the night of May 4, 1,200 reinforcements, consisting mostly of new Kentucky recruits under the command of General Green Clay, neared the fort. Harrison sent instructions to Clay to send a detachment of 800 men to surprise-attack the British batteries at dawn the following morning.

The objective was to spike the cannons, rendering them useless, and hurry to the safety of Fort Meigs before British reinforcements could arrive from Fort Miamis, which was just downriver (about the 1800 block of River Road at Michigan Avenue, today).

The detachment, led by Colonel William Dudley, attacked the British battery at dawn, carrying out their mission successfully. However, the events that followed led ultimately to Dudley's defeat.

Instead of returning to the fort as planned, the raw recruits, exhilarated by their success, pursued some straggling Indians into the forest (“every Kentuckian is crazy at the sight of an Indian,” the old history books say). Dudley and his officers tried vainly to stop them but were futile in their efforts and joined in the fray.

The trap had been set. For the Americans to pursue them into the forest was exactly what the Indians wanted. Once they had reached an area where the Maumee Library now stands, the British and Indians counterattacked.

A fierce battle ensued, lasting several hours. The Americans attempted to retreat toward the river but found themselves cut off

When the battle was over, about 220 of Dudley's men lay dead, while 350 were captured. About 200 managed to make their way across river and back to Fort Meigs. Colonel Dudley was killed during the battle and scalped.

All that remains as reminders of the carnage that took place in May of 1813 are the preserved sites of Fort Meigs and Miamis, and a historical marker in front of the Maumee Library on River Road that reads:

DUDLEY'S MASSACRE

Here on May 5, 1813 
Colonel Dudley's troops spiked the 
British artillery besieging 
Fort Meigs; but in the exhilaration of 
Victory they were led into ambush 
Where over 600 was lost.

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Giannos (fka Plantation Inn, The Commercial Building, Governor's Inn, Linck Inn)

Giannos Restaurant located at 301 River Road, is in the heart of the historic district. Built in 1836, by Levi Beebe, The Commercial Building is the oldest commercial structure in Lucas County. Originally, The Commercial Building was a center of community activity, housing law offices, a post office, a public meeting room, plus several mercantile establishments. In the 1830's, commercial activity was at an all time high in Maumee. The main stagecoach route between Detroit and Fort Wayne ran by the front door of the Inn, and only a few feet away, stretched docks and warehouses where ships arrived and departed several times a day. The introduction of larger steamships forced the center of activity to nearby Toledo ports, thus dashing Maumee's hopes of becoming a major river port. In 1840, Maumee was designated the seat of Lucas County, and The Inn, only a block away from the courthouse, was a natural gathering place of lawyers and other local dignitaries. Rutherford B. Hayes was one such attorney who frequented The Inn. In 1837, The Inn was the gathering point for the purpose of organizing the Lucas County Whig Party. Such prominent citizens as James, David and Jesup Scott, George Knaggs, James Wolcott, Horatio Conant, and Levi Beebe were among those who responded to the call. In 1852, the county seat was moved to Toledo and Maumee's hopes of becoming a great city waned. According to legend, a tunnel leading from the Maumee River to the cellar of The Inn was used as a stopping point for the Underground Railroad. Later, this same route was said to be used during prohibition to bring illegal alcohol in from Canada. As a young attorney, Abraham Lincoln is said to have stayed at The Inn. Another man, destined to become a U.S. president, who is said to have stayed at The Inn, is Ulysses S. Grant. After the turn of the century, the building fell on hard times and had a succession of owners. In 1951 Donald Buckhout purchased the building and operated it as The Old Plantation. In 1973, The Inn was designated an Ohio Historic Landmark, and eventually was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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House of 4 Pillars

The Greek Revival home at 322 East Broadway known as the House of Four Pillars, was built c. 1835. During the pre-Civil War era the house reputedly provided refuge for fugitive slaves who made their way to the Maumee River and through a deep ravine which led to the basement. Arthur Henry, editor of the Toledo Blade and his wife, Maude, a pioneering woman reporter, owned the house briefly in the 1890's. A famous visitor to the house during the Henry's residency was Theodore Drieser who reportedly wrote the first chapters of his controversial novel, Sister Carrie, during his stay. During the early 20th century, the house was owned by John Ormand, a Toledo attorney and Maumee civic leader, who was instrumental in bringing the Carnegie Library to Maumee. After Ormand's death, the house sat empty for several years and fell into disrepair. It was restored to its present grandeur by the William M. Hankins family in the 1950's. The house is on the National Register of Historic Places.

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Maumee Historical Districts

Maumee is fortunate to have two historic districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One is a residential area located west of Conant Street. Many fine examples of early architecture dating from the Greek Revival style of the 1840's to late Victorian and early 20th century may be found both within and adjacent to the district. Many buildings east of Conant Street are individually listed on the register or are designated by the Maumee Valley Historical Society. These include the Forsythe-Puhl House, c. 1827, home of Maumee's first mayor; the Isaac Hull House, c. 1830's; Union School 1875; House of Four Pillars, c. 1835; First Presbyterian Church Chapel, c. 1837; St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1841; Linck Inn, 1836; and Wolcott House, c. 1830.

A commercial district extending along Conant Street and the Anthony Wayne Trail is also listed on the National Register and includes the first block of W. Wayne Street. Excellent examples of early storefront architecture dating from the 1870's to the early 19th century have been well preserved and still house retail operations. The earliest building, a simple frame Greek Revival, is located on W. Wayne Street.