BEST HOMETOWNS

bombardment more than 200 years ago still stand at Fort Meigs. Behind these grass-covered earthworks, the soldiers held their ground in two sieges that would change the course of the War of 1812. Today, the 10-acre fort built on a bluff above the Maumee River rapids is quiet and still.

“Surrounded by the wild and this serene sense of history and battle and death, all of that provides a weird energy, a weird peace,” says John Thompson, manager of historic programming and head of interpretation.

Fort Meigs is the largest reconstructed fort in North America. Yet, many visitors are surprised to find out it exists.

“1812 is very much a Great Lakes story,” Thompson explains. “The war is fought on the U.S.-Canadian border.”

Visitors learn that story by walking the grounds and touring the buildings, which are all reconstructed. Costumed interpreters and exhibits throughout the site show what life was like for the soldiers here and how they fought off the British in sieges that took place in April and July 1813. A visit helps make the connections between the site and familiar names from history, including Gen. (and future President) William Henry Harrison and Tecumseh, a Native American leader who fought there.

“You can see those moments when light bulbs go off,” Thompson says. 29100 W. River Rd., Perrysburg 43551, 419/874-4121, fortmeigs.org