4th Street and Avenue H
Fort Madison, Iowa

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.