Constructed in the Ohio Country in 1778, Fort Laurens is Ohio’s only Revolutionary War fort. During the American Revolution, most Native Americans residing in the Ohio Country allied themselves with the British. While they were neutral in the conflicts, the Christian Delaware Indians were among the few natives who were friendly to the Americans.
In the fall of 1778, Lachlan McIntosh served as the commander of an American army sent to the Ohio Country to defeat the Wyandot Indians, strong allies of the English, as well launch an attack against the British garrison located at Detroit, Michigan. During the month of November, McIntosh decided not to carry out his orders due to the winter months that lay ahead. Rather he decided to wait until the warmer spring months before conducting his attacks. He ordered the construction of a fort along the Tuscarawas River (near modern-day Bolivar, Ohio) to help his men survive the harsh winter weather.