The Story of Old Fort Dearborn

The book traces the early history of the Chicago river region from its European discovery by explorers such as Joliet and Marquette through the establishment of the first Fort Dearborn in 1803, its destruction during the 1812 conflict and subsequent rebuilding in 1816, to final military evacuation in 1836. It combines biographical sketches of figures like General Henry Dearborn and local settlers, maps and illustrations, and accounts of frontier life, military operations, Native American relations, and the events surrounding the 1812 massacre. The narrative situates local developments within wider geopolitical tensions and follows the transformation of a frontier outpost into a settled community.