The Battles of Fort Recovery: Wayside Exhibits Planning and Design

By: Christine Thompson, Kevin Nolan, Kristin Barry, and Lisa Hensell
Principal Investigators: Christine K. Thompson and Kevin C. Nolan
Reports of Investigation 95, Applied Anthropology Laboratories, Ball State University

Abstract

This Wayside Exhibit Plan documents the planning and design of 15 wayside exhibits that interpret the Battle of the Wabash (1791) and the Battle of Fort Recovery (1794), two significant Northwest Indian War battles in what is current-day Fort Recovery, Ohio. The purpose of this project was to plan and design 15 wayside exhibits that: 1) Use maps and images to emphasize the extent of the landscape involved in the battle and its role in shaping the outcome; 2) Emphasize the American Indian perspective and battle strategy; 3) Provide battlefield interpretation to visitors when the Fort Recovery State Museum (FRSM) is not open in the non-summer months; and 4) Stress the importance of future preservation and protection of the battlefield. This wayside exhibit planning and design project is part of an on-going educational process at the Fort Recovery State Museum and Fort Recovery Historical Society to build awareness of the battlefield and the importance of preservation and protection. Project progress was disseminated to and input gathered from the public via media and web site updates, presentations, open houses, community group meetings, and other events. The wayside exhibits were installed on the battlefield in November 2018.