Outpost in the Wilderness: Fort Wayne, 1706-1828

Set at the crossroads of rivers that once linked the Great Lakes to the Mississippi, this work traces the first century of a settlement that would become Indiana’s oldest continuously inhabited white town. The author weaves meticulous archival research with the immediacy of local lore, showing how a modest portage turned into a strategic fort for French, British, and later American forces. Readers hear the clash of cultures, the rhythms of fur traders, and the military plans that rippled across the Old Northwest.

Drawing on training from leading historians and fieldwork that took him from Indiana back to European archives, the writer uncovers the stories of figures like Little Turtle and General Anthony Wayne while keeping the narrative grounded in everyday life. The book balances scholarly precision with vivid anecdotes, offering a clear picture of how geography shaped settlement patterns and frontier politics. Listeners come away with a richer sense of how this single outpost reflected larger forces shaping early America.