Fort Massac is the remains of the reconstructed structures of a French colonial and later early National-era fort along the Ohio River near Metropolis Illinois. And since it was on my route home as I drove between St. Louis and Atlanta, I had to stop and check it out. Though there may have been a Spanish fort nearby as early as 1540, the actual Fort Massac was built by the French in 1757, during the French and Indian War. Apparently, it was destroyed by the Chickasaw sometime after 1763 and rebuilt by the early American Troops in 1794. Today, the site is recognized as an Illinois state park.
Parking my car near the visitors center, I make the short walk out the the reconstructed structures of the 1794 site. Several wooden buildings stand here today as their counterparts must have over two centuries ago. As I walk out towards the Ohio River, I notice the raised ground and mote-like fortification of the actual fort aspect. This includes the very common and highly defensible corners where cannons could get a wide sweep of the land surrounding the fort. I walk around this area a little bit before heading back to my car and continuing my journey home. While not much remains of this historic site, it's always interesting to visit what does.
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