Fort Ouiatenon
National Register of Historic Places

Fort Ouiatenon

Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana
Listed
February 15, 1970
Type
Site
Period
Colonial
Ref No.
70000008

About this property

Fort Ouiatenon, built in 1717, was the first fortified European settlement in what is now Indiana, United States. It was a palisade stockade with log blockhouse used as a French trading post on the Wabash River located approximately three miles southwest of modern-day West Lafayette. The name 'Ouiatenon' is a French rendering of the name in the Wea language, waayaahtanonki, meaning 'place of the whirlpool'. It was one of three French forts built during the 18th century in what was then New France, later the Northwest Territory and today the state of Indiana, the other two being Fort Miami and Fort Vincennes. A substantial French settlement grew up around the fort in the mid-18th century. It was ceded to the British and abandoned after the French and Indian War. Later, it passed into Indian hands and was destroyed in 1791 by American militia during the Northwest Indian War. Consequently, Fort Ouiatenon was never a United States fort. The original site was rediscovered in the 1960s; the archaeological site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2021. Every year between the end of September and the month of October, a reenactment of pioneer life called the Feast of the Hunters' Moon is held a short distance from the original site at Fort Ouiatenon Historical Park.

Location

Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana

Categories

HISTORIC - ABORIGINALCOMMERCEHISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINALMILITARYPOLITICS/GOVERNMENT
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Fort Ouiatenon

This page lists Fort Ouiatenon. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Fort Ouiatenon report
Or see a real report first

Questions about this property

When was Fort Ouiatenon listed on the National Register?

Fort Ouiatenon was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 15, 1970.

What type of historic resource is Fort Ouiatenon?

Fort Ouiatenon is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Fort Ouiatenon?

The period of significance for Fort Ouiatenon is recorded as the colonial era, specifically around 1717.

Can I research the history near Fort Ouiatenon?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Fort Ouiatenon will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Tippecanoe County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Tippecanoe County.

Explore TippecanoeCounty ›

More historic places in Indiana

Browse all historic places in Indiana.

View Indianahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Indiana history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Indianahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Fort Ouiatenon will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report