Fort Wayne is star fort built in the 1840’s and is Detroit’s third fort. Located on the Detroit River in downtown Detroit, it was operated by the U.S. Military until 1948, when it was sold to the city of Detroit over a period of 28 years as a historical museum. Nine acres of the land remained under the army corps of engineers. The fort never saw hostile action, although it was used in the civil war as a recruiting and training center. The fort was also used as a recruiting center during the Korean and Vietnam wars. During both world wars it was used as a shipping center that sent vehicles and weapons manufactured in Detroit to the fronts of the war. During World War II the fort housed Italian prisoners of war. During the Detroit riots the fort provided housing for families whose houses were destroyed.
Fort Wayne was one of the largest motor supply depots in World War II and additional buildings were constructed near the fort to warehouse the weapons and vehicles being sent the fronts of the war. Equipment was sent out on ship by the Detroit River or by the railroad that used to run next to the fort.
Sources:
Newman, Stacy. “Fort Wayne” from http://detroithistorical.org/learn/encyclopedia-of- detroit/fort-wayne
Smyser, Bruce (1961). “Service to Isolated Sites Fort Wayne Michigan” Art Education, 14.8: 15-16.
Blackburn, George (1967) “A Michigan Regiment in the Palmetto State ” The South Carolina Historical Magazine, 68.3, 154-164.