New Flagpole Marks Historic Fort Milestone

For the first time in nearly two and a half centuries, a flag once again flies over Fort Laurens in the same place it did in 1779. On Aug. 1, a new wooden flagpole crafted from a single tree trunk was raised on the spot where the original was  installed just one day before the fort was abandoned. The moment marked a pivotal step in a long-anticipated reconstruction of Ohio’s only Revolutionary War-era fort. 

Fort Laurens, located in Bolivar, was built in 1778 as a strategic outpost during the American Revolution and served as a launching point for a planned attack on Fort Detroit, which was occupied by the British. Although the original fort was short-lived, its legacy as Ohio’s only Revolutionary War fort endures. Today, the site includes a museum that includes the Tomb of the Unknown Patriot and a visible outline of a portion of the original fort. 

Reconstruction efforts are led by the Ohio History Connection, which is consulting with the Friends of Fort Laurens Foundation, who have been involved with the site for more than 30 years, and the Zoar Community Association. 

Doug Angeloni and Marcia and Martin Zawackey, founding members of the Friends of Fort Laurens, raised the flag on Aug. 1. The flag itself is a 13-star Hutchins’ flag that is accurate to the time the fort was occupied.

Further reconstruction milestones are planned as fundraising and historical research continue, with the goal of eventually rebuilding key portions of the original fort and bringing its story to future generations. 

For more information, visit fortlaurensmuseum.org.

For more Ohio travel inspiration, sign up for our Ohio Magazine newsletters.

Ohio Magazine is available in a beautifully designed print issue that is published 7 times a year, along with Spring-Summer and Fall-Winter editions of LongWeekends magazine. Subscribe to Ohio Magazine and stay connected to beauty, adventure and fun across our state.