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by Karen MacPherson, Blade Washington bureau
The Blade (Toledo, OH)
05-20-99
WASHINGTON -- A bill designating Fallen Timbers battlefield and Fort Miamis as a National Historic Site is headed to the floor of the U.S. Senate.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee yesterday voted unanimously to approve the legislation after its sponsor, Sen. Mike DeWine (R., Ohio) worked out technical problems with the National Park Service.
Park service officials, joined by environmentalists, initially opposed the bill because they contended it didn't clearly designate one local group as the main manager for the sites, recognized for their importance in military history and American Indian culture. The problems have been worked out, however, through language creating a new management organization that is clearly responsible for maintaining the sites.
The organization would be composed of one representative from each of nine entities: The Ohio Historical Society; the city of Toledo; city of Maumee; Maumee Valley Heritage Commission; Metroparks District of the Toledo Area; Fallen Timbers Battlefield Preservation Commission; Heidelberg College, and two other groups to be designated by the governor.
"We think that the greater clarity given to the management sections of the bill will help this new area become firmly established as part of America's national heritage," said William Chandler, vice president at the National Parks and Conservation Association, an environmental group in Washington.
Although the bill is expected to be approved soon by the Senate, Mr. DeWine still must convince his colleagues to earmark $3.1 million in federal funds to purchase the battlefield, which is in Maumee but is owned by the city of Toledo. The Fort Miamis site is owned by the city of Maumee.
The measure designating the battlefield and Fort Miamis as a National Historic Site must win U.S. House approval. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo), sponsor of the House version, has asked for a hearing. Although the battlefield and Fort Miamis aren't contiguous, National Park Service officials say the link between them is important and should be preserved.
Under attack by the U.S. Army at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794, Indian tribes retreated to Fort Miamis in hopes that the British, who occupied the fort, would keep a promise to assist them. But the British kept the fort gates closed.
The tribes surrendered and in 1795 signed the Treaty of Greenville, which gave the city of Detroit to the United States, ensured settlement of Ohio and part of present-day Indiana, and secured safe passage to settlers moving west along the Ohio River.
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