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In
1808, Fort Madison was established in what is now the State of Iowa. It
was the first United States military post on the upper Mississippi River
and was built to secure the American frontier and to protect the
government "factory," or trading post, where area Sauk and Fox could
exchange furs and lead for manufactured goods. During the outbreak of
the War of 1812, British agents from Canada incited Black Hawk and his
allies against the Americans. In September, 1812, hostile bands of Sauk
and Fox besieged Fort Madison, killing one soldier, slaughtering the
garrison cattle, and burning several nearby cabins. During the siege,
the post commander ordered the burning of the factory, which was also
outside the fort. Faced with constant harassment the post commander,
ordered the fort abandoned in September, 1813. Under cover of darkness,
the men of the garrison slipped away downriver in boats, having set
fires as they departed, which left the fort engulfed in flames. All that
was left to be seen of the fort were chimneys.
After time, only one was left standing, which was named "The Lone
Chimney" by river boat captains and "Potowonok" by Native Americans
meaning "Place of Fire." In 1908, to commemorate the 100th anniversary
of Old Fort Madison, a replica of the Lone Chimney with a bronze tablet
was erected on the actual site of Blockhouse #1. The cannons were put in
place a year later.
Visiting the
Lone Chimney Memorial
Visiting Hours
The monument can be
visited at any time
There is no charge to visit the Lone Chimney
Memorial.
Location:
The Lone Chimney Memorial is located in the
downtown area of Fort Madison near the riverfront on Avenue H (US-61)
just west of the Fort Madison-Niota Bridge that crosses the Mississippi
River.
 Learn more about the
Fort Madison
area.
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