During the War of 1812, the Great Lakes played a strategic role in moving troops and materials along the Canadian and U.S. border. In 1814, on the hill in front of you, the United States Army established Fort Gratiot to protect military vessels traveling Lake Huron and the St. Clair River. Constructed under the guidance of Captain Charles Gratiot, the original log structures were surrounded by earthworks and a palisade wall. The fort was abandoned by 1821 and was then occupied by a missionary school that taught English, reading and writing to the Chippewa. Hostilities between settlers and Native Americans in the Michigan Territory (Wisconsin) led to the re-occupation of Fort Gratiot in 1828, but by that time the original fort was in ruins and needed to be rebuilt. The earthworks were leveled, a stockade wall was installed and new buildings were constructed with more durable materials. The new fort was completed by 1830. During the Civil War, the fort was used for training. The 27th Michigan Infantry was organized at Fort Gratiot and fought at places like Vicksburg, Mississippi and Petersburg, Virginia. After the war, the need for military forts on the Great Lakes began to fade. Fort Gratiot closed for good in 1879, with the site and buildings being sold off at auction.