Fort Laramie

After the War of 1812, settlement began in the Fort Loramie area, and a town was laid out and surveyed, with the name Berlin given to the town. When work started on the Miami-Erie Canal in 1836, German immigration began in earnest. The immigrants came mainly as laborers on the canal and soon purchased land and became permanent settlers. The canal was opened in 1841, bringing finished goods, groceries, clothing and machinery to the area, and taking wood products, grain, pork and other farm items back to the cities.

By 1909, the canal was almost a thing of the past as a result of the network of railroads that were expanding in all directions. The canal, which ran through the center of town, fell into disrepair, but was cleaned up, filled in and turned into a community park called Canal Park.  There is a replica of Loramie’s trading post at the park.  The reservoir that kept the canal filled with water was maintained, named Lake Loramie, which is now an Ohio State Park.

The early fort and trading post locations had been lost over the years.  

A self-funded archeological group, called Wayne's Legion Research Group, had been conducting archaeological digs on property in the area since September 2013. They discovered the site of Loramie's trading post in 2013. The fort was rediscovered north of the village in 2021. The group discovered the location of the north wall of the fort, around 100 yards north of the Loramie Creek.

Fort Loramie  is 42 miles north-northwest of Dayton and 20 miles east of the Ohio/Indiana border. The village can be reached by either Rt 27 or Rt 66.

In the clockwise direction on the Buckeye Trail, a trail user would pass by Lake Loramie, turning west onto Rt 362 hiking into the village of Fort Loramie. It would be hard to miss the architectural beauty of St Michaels Church, a Catholic Church built in 1881. The trail moves into the middle of the village, thru Canal Park-which was the site of the Miami & Erie Canal. The trail then follows Canal Street, winding into a residential area which parallels South Main Street.

Food options, including a brewery and grocery store, are available on Main Street.

Plan Your Visit

The Wilderness Museum is owned and operated by the Fort Loramie Historical Association.  Visitors can view uniforms and memorabilia from the Civil War, WWI and WWII as well as Indian artifacts. Also on display are a turn-of-the-century dry goods store, women’s store, and a display of old shoe-making equipment. Included in the tour is a barn which features equipment used on farms in the area a hundred years ago. The museum offers a variety of programs and events throughout the year, most notably the Williamsburg Christmas Dinners held over a four-evening period in early December.

Fort Loramie is adjacent to Lake Loramie State Park with various outdoor activities available.

Lake Loramie Nature Center and Heritage Museum: The museum features a collection of historic hunting, fishing, and trapping equipment. It also houses tools and kitchen items that would have been used in a typical cabin, some dating back to the mid-1800s.

Country Concert is held annually in July, a four-day event with camping available. This event has been occurring yearly since 1981.  Country Concert is the Midwest’s Premier Music and Camping Festival with Superstar Entertainment, Great Camping, and Fun-Loving People. It takes place on a 500-acre Facility near Fort Loramie, Ohio. The event started in 1981. 

German Heritage Days is a 2-day celebration in September, featuring great food, cold drinks, and spirited competitions.

Accommodations

There are numerous VrBos and AirBnB bookings in the Fort Loramie area.

Fort Loramie Dairy King and Motel 33 North Main Street

Camping

Lake Loramie State Park is 1/2 mile east of the Village. Originally created in 1825 as a reservoir for the Miami-Erie Canal system, Lake Loramie offers an expansive no wake zone perfect for canoeing, as well as an open zone for power boating.