Flea Market Finds From Fort Wayne

You wouldn't usually see "shopping" and "Fort Wayne" in the same sentence, but that's what I did this weekend...went shopping at Fort Wayne. Twice a year (spring and fall), the Detroit Historical Society has a flea market at Fort Wayne. It's always good for a few bargain treasures, and it's a great excuse to visit the fort, which is fascinating. First, the flea market....

The vendors range from tchotchke to serious collector-worthy, and the prices were "try not to let my mouth fall open and cheer". Apparently flea market pricing here has gone the way of housing prices in Detroit. Some of my new purchases in their new home....

Then, we wandered around the fort for a while. I was with someone who had never been there before, and they were amazed (and as is often the case in Detroit, aghast at how little we value and care for our collective treasures). This was the third fort built in Detroit, and the first built by Americans. The original fort was built by the French. The second one, Fort Lernoult, was built by the British. It was renamed Fort Shelby when we took it over from them.

Doors like the one above lead into cool, dark, brick-lined, barrel-vaulted tunnels of rooms inside the original part of the fort, earthworks from 1845. 

dETROITfUNK seems to have been there this weekend as well, and has great pictures of the exterior of the earthworks and the whole fort that give you a better feel for the layout. The Historic Fort Wayne Coalition has an extensive website with a photo tour, events calendar, and information on how you can get involved in helping with the fort's preservation. This gentleman below is a member of the coalition on his way to manning the cannon. He recounted with glee the firing of the cannons that morning. He was a delightful and informative walking companion...I'm sorry I can't remember your name, sir.

 The cannon with the old barracks and volunteers working in the background....

Coalition volunteers hard at work...

I found the Powder Magazine very interesting...

Army regulations regarding the storage and care of gunpowder posted inside the magazine...

And then I walked up the ramparts to a lookout over the Detroit River...you can see the old Parade Grounds now being used for soccer fields....

A reenactment group practicing on the Parade Grounds from this winter....

Outside the old fort, overlooking the Parade Grounds on the River, you'll find the Commanding Officer's home, along with the rest of the officers and NCO's houses, stables, guard building, post theater, etc.....

And then it was time to head back to the twenty-first century.