Old Fort
Genealogical Society
P. O. Box 1, Fort Madison,
Iowa 52627
Old Fort Madison
first United States military post on
the upper Mississippi River
Ft Madison, Iowa
In 1808, Fort Madison, the first United States military post on
the upper Mississippi River,
was established in what is now the state of Iowa.
In part, the fort served to protect the
government "factory", or trading post bu
the post was also intended to secure the American
frontier in that region.
Soldiers of the 1st U.S. Infantry Regiment, under the command of Lt. Alpha
Kingsley, built
most of the fort between 1808 and 1809. Lt. Kingsley named his
new post Fort Madison in
honor of James Madison, who was president of the United
States at that time.
Blockhouses were the fort's main points of defense.
The lower
story was fitted with shooting platforms from
which soldiers fired muskets and
rifles through small
loopholes" spaced along the walls on all sides. The upper
story had openings for both long arms and cannon fire.
Permission
given to use this page by:
Ray Hollenbeck
[email protected]
521 North 5th Street Burlington, Iowa
52601-5126
United States of America Phone: (319) 752-0106