Fort Loramie, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Fort Loramie is a village in Shelby County
, Ohio
, United States
, along Loramie Creek
. The population was 3,045 at the 2010 census
. The village was founded in 1837.
In 1794, Anthony Wayne
ordered the construction of Fort Loramie. It was located at the portage
between St. Mary's River and modern-day Loramie's Creek. Wayne initially intended Fort Loramie to be an actual stockade
, but after defeating the natives at the Battle of Fallen Timbers
in August 1794, he determined a blockhouse
and several storage buildings were more important. He now intended Fort Loramie to be a supply depot
for American fortifications, including Fort Wayne, Fort Adams, and Fort Defiance
, in modern-day northern Ohio
. In December 1795, the American military finally completed construction of the buildings. During the War of 1812
, Fort Loramie served as a supply depot for forts in northern Ohio as well as for military forces sent against the British in Michigan
and Canada
. In 1815, the United States sold Fort Loramie to James Furrow, who created a tavern and post office out of the buildings. In 1820, Furrow gave up the business. Despite this, a village had begun to form. Many people had moved from eastern Ohio, seeking better land and increased opportunity. Most of the early migrants were of German
descent.
After the War of 1812, settlement began in the Fort Loramie area, and a town was laid out and surveyed by Jonathan Counts. Lots were sold at auction, and the name Berlin was given to the town. When work started on the Miami-Erie Canal in 1836, German immigration began in earnest. The immigrants came mainly as laborers on the canal and soon purchased land and became permanent settlers. The canal was opened in 1841, bringing finished goods, groceries, clothing and machinery to the area, and taking wood products, grain, pork and other farm items back to the cities.
The first flour mill was built in 1858, and the first general store, Willman's, was established the same year. Other early establishments included Quinlan's pharmacy and two taverns, Bruckens and Vogelsang's Café, both of which are still in operation. The first church, St. Michael's Catholic Church, was completed in 1851. The one-room school house for the grade school (grades 1-8) was built in 1874 just east of St. Michael's Church. In 1883 the Fort Loramie Community Fire Co. was established.
By 1909, the canal was almost a thing of the past as a result of the network of railroads that were expanding in all directions. The canal area, which ran through the center of town, fell into disrepair, but was cleaned up, landscaped, and turned into a community park. The canal area north of town is part of a 40 miles (64.4 km) Miami and Erie Canal Towpath Hiking Trail. The most important feature remaining from the early canal days is Lake Loramie, the reservoir that kept the canal filled with water. It is now a state park and a haven for fishermen, boaters, campers, and vacationers.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), all of it land. The village is at an elevation of 953 feet (290.5 m) above sea level.
of 2000, there were 1,344 people, 480 households, and 358 families residing in the village. The population density
was 1,848.7 people per square mile (710.9/km²). There were 494 housing units at an average density of 679.5 per square mile (261.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 99.70% White, and 0.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.37% of the population.
There were 480 households out of which 40.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.3% were married couples
living together, 4.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.35.
In the village the population was spread out with 31.0% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 16.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.4 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $54,750, and the median income for a family was $65,089. Males had a median income of $39,934 versus $27,039 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $19,602. About 0.9% of families and 1.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.2% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
and Toby Keith
. The yearly concert fest is located at Hickory Hill Lake located south of the village near the neighboring rural community of Newport
. It also holds other events throughout the year to bring together the community.
, and one public grade school, Fort Loramie Elementary.
, along with a few weekly newspapers.
Shelby County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,910 people, 17,636 households, and 13,085 families residing in the county. The population density was 117 people per square mile . There were 18,682 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, along Loramie Creek
Loramie Creek
Loramie Creek is a tributary of the Great Miami River in western Ohio in the United States. Via the Great Miami and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of...
. The population was 3,045 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
. The village was founded in 1837.
History
In 1769 Pierre Loramie, a French-Canadian fur trader (and possibly a Jesuit missionary) built a trading post just north of the present-day village of Fort Loramie. Loramie traded in furs with the Wyandotte and Shawnee Indian tribes. During the 1782 campaign of General George Rogers Clark, Col. Benjamin Logan led an attack on the trading post, and it was burned to the ground.In 1794, Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of Mad Anthony.-Early...
ordered the construction of Fort Loramie. It was located at the portage
Portage
Portage or portaging refers to the practice of carrying watercraft or cargo over land to avoid river obstacles, or between two bodies of water. A place where this carrying occurs is also called a portage; a person doing the carrying is called a porter.The English word portage is derived from the...
between St. Mary's River and modern-day Loramie's Creek. Wayne initially intended Fort Loramie to be an actual stockade
Stockade
A stockade is an enclosure of palisades and tall walls made of logs placed side by side vertically with the tops sharpened to provide security.-Stockade as a security fence:...
, but after defeating the natives at the Battle of Fallen Timbers
Battle of Fallen Timbers
The Battle of Fallen Timbers was the final battle of the Northwest Indian War, a struggle between American Indian tribes affiliated with the Western Confederacy and the United States for control of the Northwest Territory...
in August 1794, he determined a blockhouse
Blockhouse
In military science, a blockhouse is a small, isolated fort in the form of a single building. It serves as a defensive strong point against any enemy that does not possess siege equipment or, in modern times, artillery...
and several storage buildings were more important. He now intended Fort Loramie to be a supply depot
Supply depot
Supply depots are a type of military installation used by armies to store battlefield supplies temporarily on or near the front lines until they can be distributed to army units....
for American fortifications, including Fort Wayne, Fort Adams, and Fort Defiance
Fort Defiance (Ohio)
Fort Defiance was ordered built by General "Mad" Anthony Wayne in August 1794 at the confluence of the Auglaize and Maumee rivers. It was the last of a line of defenses constructed by American forces in the campaign leading to the Northwest Indian War's Battle of Fallen Timbers on August 20,...
, in modern-day northern Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. In December 1795, the American military finally completed construction of the buildings. During the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, Fort Loramie served as a supply depot for forts in northern Ohio as well as for military forces sent against the British in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. In 1815, the United States sold Fort Loramie to James Furrow, who created a tavern and post office out of the buildings. In 1820, Furrow gave up the business. Despite this, a village had begun to form. Many people had moved from eastern Ohio, seeking better land and increased opportunity. Most of the early migrants were of German
German American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
descent.
After the War of 1812, settlement began in the Fort Loramie area, and a town was laid out and surveyed by Jonathan Counts. Lots were sold at auction, and the name Berlin was given to the town. When work started on the Miami-Erie Canal in 1836, German immigration began in earnest. The immigrants came mainly as laborers on the canal and soon purchased land and became permanent settlers. The canal was opened in 1841, bringing finished goods, groceries, clothing and machinery to the area, and taking wood products, grain, pork and other farm items back to the cities.
The first flour mill was built in 1858, and the first general store, Willman's, was established the same year. Other early establishments included Quinlan's pharmacy and two taverns, Bruckens and Vogelsang's Café, both of which are still in operation. The first church, St. Michael's Catholic Church, was completed in 1851. The one-room school house for the grade school (grades 1-8) was built in 1874 just east of St. Michael's Church. In 1883 the Fort Loramie Community Fire Co. was established.
By 1909, the canal was almost a thing of the past as a result of the network of railroads that were expanding in all directions. The canal area, which ran through the center of town, fell into disrepair, but was cleaned up, landscaped, and turned into a community park. The canal area north of town is part of a 40 miles (64.4 km) Miami and Erie Canal Towpath Hiking Trail. The most important feature remaining from the early canal days is Lake Loramie, the reservoir that kept the canal filled with water. It is now a state park and a haven for fishermen, boaters, campers, and vacationers.
Geography
Fort Loramie is located at 40°20′53"N 84°22′14"W (40.348043, -84.370600).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), all of it land. The village is at an elevation of 953 feet (290.5 m) above sea level.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,344 people, 480 households, and 358 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,848.7 people per square mile (710.9/km²). There were 494 housing units at an average density of 679.5 per square mile (261.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 99.70% White, and 0.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.37% of the population.
There were 480 households out of which 40.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 4.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.35.
In the village the population was spread out with 31.0% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 16.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.4 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $54,750, and the median income for a family was $65,089. Males had a median income of $39,934 versus $27,039 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $19,602. About 0.9% of families and 1.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.2% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
Major events
Fort Loramie is known for its annual four-day-long festival in the summer, the Country Concert, which attracts thousands of people from around the United States and Canada. Its singers include such popular country stars as Kenny ChesneyKenny Chesney
Kenneth "Kenny" Arnold Chesney is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S...
and Toby Keith
Toby Keith
Toby Keith Covel , best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin, plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of...
. The yearly concert fest is located at Hickory Hill Lake located south of the village near the neighboring rural community of Newport
Newport, Shelby County, Ohio
Newport is a census-designated place located in Cynthian Township, Shelby County, Ohio, United States. The community is located along the Miami and Erie Canal and at the intersection of State Routes 47 and 66....
. It also holds other events throughout the year to bring together the community.
Education
Fort Loramie has one public high school, Fort Loramie High SchoolFort Loramie High School
Fort Loramie High School is a public high school in Fort Loramie, Ohio in Shelby County. It is the only high school in the Fort Loramie School district. The high school is located at 600 East Park Street. This building houses students in grades 7-12. Students in grades K-6 attend the Fort...
, and one public grade school, Fort Loramie Elementary.
Media
Fort Loramie is served by local daily newspaper, the Sidney Daily NewsSidney Daily News
The Sidney Daily News is a newspaper published in Sidney, Ohio. It is published each day of the week except Sunday and Tuesday.- History :...
, along with a few weekly newspapers.