| Fort Dearborn was established in 1802-03 as a garrison for U.S. troops, near the territorial capital of Washington, Miss. The fort is associated with the history of Mississippi's territorial period and the War of 1812. Because it was established to guard the territorial interior, the fort lost its military importance when the Louisiana Purchase extended America's frontier southward to the Gulf and westward across the Mississippi River. The site of Fort Dearborn was listed on the National Register on 17 September 1974. |