Detroit was founded in 1701. Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac arrived at the site of present-day Detroit. Fort Pontchartrain du Detroit was the area’s first construction. The French built the fort originally to keep British settlers from moving west. After the French and Indian War, the fort was turned over to the British. During the Revolutionary War, the fort was too far west to see much action. The British did not relinquish control of Fort Detroit until 1796, thirteen years after the Treaty of Paris. A conflagration hit the Detroit area in 1805, and experts believe no part of the original fort still stands.
Jul 242024