Fort Duwamish

Fort Duwamish (1855-1856) - Established in 1856 at the Seattle settlement as a blockhouse during the Yakima Indian War (1855-1856).

Plan of Seattle 1855-1856

Fort Duwamish History

Established soon after the siege of Seattle (26 Jan 1856) during the Yakima Indian War. A single blockhouse known as Fort Decatur protected the Seattle settlement during the siege. The siege was unsuccessful but the threat of a larger force of hostile Indians caused the settlers to build a second blockhouse on the south side and connect these two blockhouse with a series of breastworks and stockades. This second blockhouse was known as Fort Duwamish. No further attacks occurred.

Fort Duwamish was a two-story blockhouse of unfinished logs, 22 feet square. The top floor was set so the corners overlapped each side of the bottom floor. After the war ended in 1856 the blockhouse was used until 1862 as the first Duwamish school.

Current Status

Unknown

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Location: Just west of the present Georgetown Steam plant Museum in Seattle, King County, Washington. Maps & Images Lat: 47.557864 Long: -122.318162 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: '

Sources:

• Hart, Herbert M., Tour Guide to Old Western Forts, Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder CO, 1980, ISBN 0-87108-568-2, page 184
• Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 831

Links:

• North American Forts - Fort Duamish
• HistoryLink.org

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