July 13, 2011
Vol 13 No 28
April 29, 2015
Zumwalt’s Fort stands tall again Recipe
11
Sweet ideas for Cinco de Mayo
Around Town
3
School
8
Business
7
Movie
9
Hayden named Volunteer of the Year
Zumwalt’s Fort during the rebuilding process in 2014.
Submitted photo
Rededication of historic fort centerpiece of this year’s O’Fallon Founder’s Day (crisscrossed at the corners) built on the west side of the Mississippi River. The first Methodist Sacrament in Missouri Things are getting back to where they started as history was said to have been celebrated in the Zumwalt home in 1807. The land was sold in 1837 to Major Nathan Heald. The will be made all over again in Fort Zumwalt Park. On Saturday, May 2 the rededication of Zumwalt’s Fort will land was purchased by the state of Missouri in the early 20th Century, and became Fort Zumwalt State Park. The park was be at 11 a.m., as part of this year’s Founder’s Day. “This is something that a lot of residents, from the O’Fallon subsequently sold to the city of O’Fallon for the symbolic Community Fundraisers to the O’Fallon Historical Society, sum of one dollar in 1978, at which time it became a city park. have been involved with,” Jesse Francis, a local Thomas Drabelle, Direcpreservationist with 20 tor of Public Relations in years experience restorO’Fallon said. “We sent ing and reconstructing out over 400 personal in18th century French arvitations to the dedicachitecture in the Missistion to people who had a sippi Valley, headed up hand in it. A lot of people the project. touched this project along All that remains of the the way.” original Zumwalt home The dedication comis an internal stone chimmemorates the rebuilding ney with 2 fireplaces, one of Jacob Zumwalt’s War of on either side. 1812 family fort, or fortiThe newly-rebuilt fied home, which is said to fort is a gift to the city have harbored as many as by Ray Rockwell of O’Fallon from the 10 families against Native The rebuilt Zumwalt’s Fort will be rededicated on Saturday, May 2 at 11 a.m.,Photo as part of this O’Fallon Community American raids during year’s Founder’s Day. Foundation. A limited the war. The fort dates back to the pioneer era in the early 19th number of wooden nickels and postcards with photos of Century, shortly after the Louisiana Purchase, and was the Zumwalt’s Fort will be given out while supplies last. “The O’Fallon Community Foundation really stepped up fortification of the Zumwalt Family. In 1798 Jacob Zumwalt the fundraising five-six years ago,” Drabelle said. “The recon(1752–1820), a Revolutionary War veteran, settled on the spot. With the outbreak of the War of 1812 and increasing struction has taken about two years. The stone chimney is American Indian problems, the Zumwalt’s home was en- the one thing that has remained. We have used white oak larged, portholes were added and the compound was en- trees to help build the cabin in a style reminiscent to how it closed within a stockade fence. It became a fortified gather- was.” ing place for area settlers during times of Indian uprisings. It is said that the Zumwalt home was the first hewn-log house See FORT on page 2
By Brett Auten
Timberland receives awards
$20,000 raised at trivia night
“Ex Machina”
FREE Online Subscription
www. mycnews