What is Fort Ouiatenon?
Q: What is Fort Ouiatenon?
A: Fort Ouiatenon was the first fortified European settlement in what is now the U.S. state of Indiana, located approximately three miles southwest of modern-day West Lafayette.
Q: Why was it constructed?
A: It was originally constructed by the French government in 1717 as a military outpost to protect against Great Britain's western expansion and to serve as a key center of trade for fur trappers.
Q: Who were some of the people who visited Fort Ouiatenon?
A: French merchants and trappers from Quebec would arrive at Fort Ouiatenon in search of beaver pelts and to take advantage of trade relations with the native Wea Native American tribes.
Q: How many residents lived there during its peak level of activity?
A: At its peak level of activity during the mid-18th century, Fort Ouiatenon was home to over 2,000 residents.
Q: What happened during Pontiac's Uprising?
A: During Pontiac's Uprising in 1763, a contingent led by Chief Pontiac of the Ottawa Native American tribe captured Fort Ouiatenon without firing a shot, along with seven other similar posts.
Q: What did President George Washington order regarding Fort Ouiatenon?
A: In 1791 President George Washington ordered for the fort to be destroyed due to local Indian tribes using it as a base for staging raids against American settlers pushing westward.
Q: When was a replica built near its original site?
A:In 1930, a replica of Fort Ouiatenon was built near its original site by Richard Wetherill, a local physician.
