Tuskegee Airmen Museum Open!

[marshamusic]

Your pictures are GREAT! Looks like a FUN time. Why the heck would someone leave after 10 minutes?

You can't even get around the whole place with your car in 10 minutes; obviously somebody didn't even get out of the car and actually try to look at anything.

Thanks! I was reluctant to post the pics, because they do not nearly capture the real beauty and expanse of the place; my pics show probably less than 20% of the area of the fort and its buildings.
You know Honk, fun cannot even adequately describe what it is that you have when you go there. It’s fun alright, but it’s also a place that quiets your soul; the water, the green hills, the old red brick. The evidence of long-gone times, of historic Americana, it just stops you in your tracks. You have a very reverent feeling there.
I was in an old building that has a small hidden passage way – that once carried folks running to Canada for freedom. I got chills just standing there. [[maybe also later carried bootleggers too, who knows..)
Then there are the reinactors. I only had the one in my photo, and that was the first time that I had seen a black re-inactor there; he was there on a Buffalo Soldiers day. Usually its whites all camped out on the lowland with their hooped skirts and iron pots and hardtack; Abe and Mary Todd Lincoln walking around the grounds. In fact, that day, in those pictures is the first time I’ve ever been there with that many African Americans there.
I have been going to Fort Wayne since I was a kid, it used to be one of our annual field trips, back in the days when public schools did those things.
It is a very beautiful place, in an old, historic, crumbling way, and one of the underutilized treasures of Detroit.

P.s., Btw, for several recent years, my son was the tour manager/stage manager for the Eagles, and he is a director of big stadium shows. From time to time he’s thought about venues here, and I’ve been trying to convince him to bring a high quality music event to Fort Wayne for a long time; maybe one day, he will.

[WaCoTS]

I was in an old building that has a small hidden passage way – that once carried folks running to Canada for freedom. I got chills just standing there. [[maybe also later carried bootleggers too, who knows..)

uhhh...beg pardon, but which one is that? lol

[marshamusic]

uhhh...beg pardon, but which one is that? lol

In the area where the flea market is held; at the parking lot, if you go south, towards the water, more or less, on the path toward the flea market building on the left, across from that up aways, on the right, is another, smaller building. That building or the one past that one had an opening/tunnel kind of thing. The Fort rep told me the story.

[WaCoTS]

In the area where the flea market is held; at the parking lot, if you go south, towards the water, more or less, on the path toward the flea market building on the left, across from that up aways, on the right, is another, smaller building. That building or the one past that one had an opening/tunnel kind of thing. The Fort rep told me the story.

i assume you mean this?


if so, that is definitely not a tunnel for slaves to escape to Canada. it is the powder magazine for the cannons atop the defensive berm/fortification into which it is built, called a demilune, and it dead-ends after about 25ft. you may have mistaken what was said, because in the 1840s a small farmstead [[which predated the fort) used to sit on the opposite side of that berm closer to the river, owned by an Irishman who operated a ferry from there. it is *said* that he may have assisted slaves in attaining their freedom, but there has not yet been any hard evidence uncovered to verify this. otherwise we would have an Underground Railroad designation, and we would probably be a national park, and have a lot less financial issues.

from aerial view, you can definitely tell it is a gun battery, and you can even see the roof of the tunnel and where it stops:
http://goo.gl/maps/3pQXe

[marshamusic]

i assume you mean this?


if so, that is definitely not a tunnel for slaves to escape to Canada. it is the powder magazine for the cannons atop the defensive berm/fortification into which it is built, called a demilune, and it dead-ends after about 25ft. you may have mistaken what was said, because in the 1840s a small farmstead [[which predated the fort) used to sit on the opposite side of that berm closer to the river, owned by an Irishman who operated a ferry from there. it is *said* that he may have assisted slaves in attaining their freedom, but there has not yet been any hard evidence uncovered to verify this. otherwise we would have an Underground Railroad designation, and we would probably be a national park, and have a lot less financial issues.

from aerial view, you can definitely tell it is a gun battery, and you can even see the roof of the tunnel and where it stops:
http://goo.gl/maps/3pQXe

Well, thanks for all of this great information but no, I'm not referring to this area pictured, as I don't recall seeing the "passage way" from the outside.

I was inside the building where the Fort Wayne tour guide pointed it out, and told us its prior history. No, I'm sure I am not mistaken as to what he told us; in fact, after he did, I snapped a few pics of the spot, and the resultant photo showed an inexplicable, rather spooky column of gauzy light where my camera was aimed - a source of great mystical speculation and hilarity when I'd show folk the photo later [[this was at least 10 years ago, if I can find a copy, I'll certainly post it :-)).

You know, when I posted my remarks above, I though about exactly what you've now said, about the historic designation, and I stopped short of saying that it was part of the Underground Railroad. However, I remember so well that the tour guide was quite emphatic about it, even talking about the area of Canada where they would have landed, etc.


Perhaps the tour guide was inspired to such speculative hyperbole when he saw that I was in such a blissful state of historical reverie, just being there.

[marshamusic]

I was inside the building where the Fort Wayne tour guide pointed it out, and told us its prior history. No, I'm sure I am not mistaken as to what he told us; in fact, after he did, I snapped a few pics of the spot, and the resultant photo showed an inexplicable, rather spooky column of gauzy light where my camera was aimed - a source of great mystical speculation and hilarity when I'd show folk the photo later [[this was at least 10 years ago, if I can find a copy, I'll certainly post it :-)).

Wow, maybe they saw it, too.....

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/22.../ghost-hunters

[PlymouthRes]

Marsha-
Do you remember your tour guide’s name? Was he tall or short? Was he a member of the Historic Fort Wayne Coalition? That info may help WaCoTS id him better.
I wonder if you are referring the the Sally Port entrance ofthe fort, down the long sloping path to the right of the VC where thehistorical marker is set up? It is at the end of that path, just before entering the tunnel-like Sally Port door that the story of the Irish caretakerof the fort is told, as that was the approximate spot on which his farm originally stood. The caretaker was commissioned by the military to take careof the fort during its first time of decommissioning, that being the years of approx.1851 to 1860. Almost directly after construction, the military left the fort inthe hands of this caretaker, who, as an Irishman and whose race was oftendiscriminated against, was thought to have been sympathetic to the cause ofescaping slaves, and therefore was able to assist them in the last crossing tofreedom that so many worked so hard to get to.
Most of us who do tours mention the possible connection to the UGR, and there is a gal named Kimberly Simmons who directs theQuarrrels-Watkins Project [[https://www.facebook.com/pages/Quarlls-Watkins-Heritage-Project/155392493165), which outlines the path to freedom taken by one her great-great relatives. The tour should have mentioned something about a possible hand ferry run by the caretaker [[which again is unsubstantiated) and that the passengers of thecrossing would have ended up at the Sandwich First Baptist Church, which was established in 1840.
Hope that this helps.
Res

[Whitehouse]

Well, thanks for all of this great information but no, I'm not referring to this area pictured, as I don't recall seeing the "passage way" from the outside.

I was inside the building where the Fort Wayne tour guide pointed it out, and told us its prior history. No, I'm sure I am not mistaken as to what he told us; in fact, after he did, I snapped a few pics of the spot, and the resultant photo showed an inexplicable, rather spooky column of gauzy light where my camera was aimed - a source of great mystical speculation and hilarity when I'd show folk the photo later [[this was at least 10 years ago, if I can find a copy, I'll certainly post it :-)).

You know, when I posted my remarks above, I though about exactly what you've now said, about the historic designation, and I stopped short of saying that it was part of the Underground Railroad. However, I remember so well that the tour guide was quite emphatic about it, even talking about the area of Canada where they would have landed, etc.


Perhaps the tour guide was inspired to such speculative hyperbole when he saw that I was in such a blissful state of historical reverie, just being there.

Demi-lune is French for half-moon. This is the form of the footprint of this type of fortress. Over here in the Netherlands there's a fortification on the east side of the city of Utrecht called Fort Lunetten. It's a system of four demi-lunes and was part of the Holland water line.



This system of fortresses was build in the second half of the 19th century and was in operation into the eary 20th century. By then the invention of the aircraft made these fortresses obselete.

[Honky Tonk]

You can't even get around the whole place with your car in 10 minutes; obviously somebody didn't even get out of the car and actually try to look at anything.

Thanks! I was reluctant to post the pics, because they do not nearly capture the real beauty and expanse of the place; my pics show probably less than 20% of the area of the fort and its buildings.
You know Honk, fun cannot even adequately describe what it is that you have when you go there. It’s fun alright, but it’s also a place that quiets your soul; the water, the green hills, the old red brick. The evidence of long-gone times, of historic Americana, it just stops you in your tracks. You have a very reverent feeling there.
I was in an old building that has a small hidden passage way – that once carried folks running to Canada for freedom. I got chills just standing there. [[maybe also later carried bootleggers too, who knows..)
Then there are the reinactors. I only had the one in my photo, and that was the first time that I had seen a black re-inactor there; he was there on a Buffalo Soldiers day. Usually its whites all camped out on the lowland with their hooped skirts and iron pots and hardtack; Abe and Mary Todd Lincoln walking around the grounds. In fact, that day, in those pictures is the first time I’ve ever been there with that many African Americans there.
I have been going to Fort Wayne since I was a kid, it used to be one of our annual field trips, back in the days when public schools did those things.
It is a very beautiful place, in an old, historic, crumbling way, and one of the underutilized treasures of Detroit.

P.s., Btw, for several recent years, my son was the tour manager/stage manager for the Eagles, and he is a director of big stadium shows. From time to time he’s thought about venues here, and I’ve been trying to convince him to bring a high quality music event to Fort Wayne for a long time; maybe one day, he will.

If I could write as well as you, I would quit my day job. You're on point with the feelings Fort Wayne instills, @ least in me too. As I posted earlier, The RIGHT kind of show might go over well. [[I think) I wouldn't condone booking someone who's fans would disrespect and trash the buildings and grounds.

[marshamusic]

[QUOTE=Honky Tonk;381565]If I could write as well as you, I would quit my day job.

Oh, Bless your heart....

You're on point with the feelings Fort Wayne instills, @ least in me too.

Hope I wasn't sounding too mushy, but that's how I feel when I'm there. I also feel the sadness that the city has not been able to better support this hallowed place.

As I posted earlier, The RIGHT kind of show might go over well. [[I think) I wouldn't condone booking someone who's fans would disrespect and trash the buildings and grounds.

Oh, of course. They should never book an act with the potential for that kind of audience.

I think we might be surprised by this concert that we read that is coming up; despite my first knee-jerk, old-school flinch, I think it will probably be a more of a Techno-fest, Lallapalooza, modern day Woodstock-type affair [[without the mud and mess), and innocuous.