Ms. Smarty Pants Know It All

Due to my disappointment at not being able to see much of Toledo on the way to Detroit, my friend navigated us right through town on the trip back to Indianapolis. It still was not what I was expecting but it was picturesque nonetheless.

Conveniently, Fort Meigs was right along the route in Perrysburg, Ohio. We had visited Fort Malden in Amherstburg, Canada, and now we had the opportunity to see the other side of the War of 1812 struggle. General William Henry Harrison, future president, had his forces in this area to begin an offensive that would have tried to win Fort Malden. And Fort Malden launched two offensives that tried to capture Fort Meigs. So these were two nice bookends to our trip.

If you are not interested in military history, the visit may seem boring. Fort Meigs is huge and takes a bit to walk around. With the walls, there is not much of a view to be had. If you are interested in military history, the place is visually educational. This fort has been rebuilt so it is in marvelous condition. As my friend pointed out, it was also very beneficial to see how the two forts and sides (although Canada was really Britain at the time) presented the war in its descriptive materials.

As a rebuilt structure, visitors can compare and contrast the overall design and construction techniques with other forts around the area. There is one original line of interior traverses but the others have been recreated so you can get a great sense of the interior defenses. With all the walls up, it was easier to imagine the tent city that would have existed inside and place the hundreds of men going about their duties around camp.

The gift shop is pretty standard. Regular admission is $8 with many levels of discounts available. There’s a quick video and museum to start you off. A standard stop will last under two hours.

Here’s a much more thorough entry on the site.

Tags: Travel //