THE SALLY PORTS & BASTIONS

UNTIL VISITING THE FORT, I NEVER KNEW WHAT A SALLY PORT WAS. THEY ARE SIMPLY FORTIFIED PASSAGEWAYS LEADING FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER. THE DOORS ON THESE ARE SOLID WOOD. OVER 6 INCHES THICK, WITH HAND FORGED IRON HINGES. THERE ARE TWO OF THESE AT FORT WAYNE-ONE LEADING TOWARDS THE RIVER BANK, AND ONE LEADING OUTSIDE THE FORT TOWARDS FORT STREET. THEY WERE MEANT TO BE USED FOR UNLOADING CARGO FROM SHIPS AND TRANSPORTING SUPPLIES INTO THE FORT. A BASTION IS AN AREA OF STORAGE IN & AMONGST THE SALLY PORTS. ON THE WALLS INSIDE THESE ARE THE WRITINGS OF GRAFFITI LEFT BY SOLDIERS WHO WERE STATIONED HERE & VISITORS TO THE FORT-SOME DATING BACK TO THE CIVIL WAR ERA. THE APPARITIONS OF TWO SENTRIES IN CIVIL WAR UNIFORMS HAVE BEEN SEEN STANDING GUARD AT ONE OF THE DOORWAYS HERE-AT ABOUT 1:20 AM.

WE CAPTURED A FEW INTERESTING PHOTOGRAPHS IN THESE AREAS

(CLICK THE IMAGES FOR LARGER VERSIONS)

A BLUE ORB- TAKEN BY CINDY

THE ENTRANCE TO THE SALLEY PORT WHICH LEADS TO THE DETROIT RIVER-TAKEN BY CINDY

ONE OF THE LARGE REINFORCED DOORS-TAKEN BY CINDY

PASSAGEWAYS INSIDE THE SALLY PORT-TAKEN BY LON

SLOTS USED TO SHOOT RIFLES TO PROTECT THE FORT-TAKEN BY CINDY

ONE OF MANY CANNON SLOTS INSIDE THE SALLY PORTS. THE SQUARE AREA WAS WHERE THE CANNON BARREL WOULD GO, AND THE OPENING ABOVE WAS USED TO LET THE SMOKE OUT. -TAKEN BY CINDY

A VORTEX CAPTURED INSIDE & AMONG OUR GROUP-TAKEN BY CINDY

ECTO MIST AT THE SALLEY PORT DOORWAY-TAKEN BY CINDY

GRAFFITI-READS "JOHN G. 1940"-TAKEN BY CINDY

THIS PHOTO SHOWS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE GRAFFITI ON THE WALLS. IT SEEMS TO READ: "COWAN 1889". TAKEN BY LINDA.

GRAFFITI CARVED INTO ONE OF THE WOODEN DOORS IN THE SALLEY PORTS. IT READS "1906". TAKEN BY PAM.