This short list of common misconceptions regarding Fort Osage was compiled by Steve Wilson, Retired Site Administrator at Fort Osage National Historic Landmark.
Fort Osage National Historic Landmark
During the passing of time, a localized population, whose memory is associated with historic sites, may exhibit a rich and diverse transformation of fact into myth. The supporting folklore can manifest itself into fairly bizarre questions and assumptions pertaining to specific characters and events. From core facts, fanciful conceptions develop which following generations synthesize into further strange tales.
This maybe the result of poor research, incorrect reporting, flawed recall or dissatisfaction with the truth. Often times the intent of the original source is harmless. The individual migrates bits and pieces of data from one story to fill gaps in another. Though this is common among all racial and ethnic types the end result may be catastrophic where history is concerned. It must be stated that there are those who, in a premeditative way, wantonly mislead the public in to, “…spice up the story, a bit.”
For those whose work involves daily contact with visiting public at a recognized historic site, it is their responsibility to be on guard against misleading the public, for any reason. Stretching the truth is always an incorrect means of communicating historical fact. By doing so we injure our credibility and cast doubts on our own relevance as interpreters and historians.
Below you will find a sample of general misconceptions the staff has encountered at Fort Osage NHL. Most of these are derived from casual questions asked and comments made by visitors.
We trust you will find these both humorous and frightening!
- What happened to the caves/tunnels from the Factory to …?
- The boat landing
- Blockhouse #5
- Blockhouse #4 - Where are the original arrowheads that were sticking in the original stockade?
- Where are the repelling poles?
- What can you tell me about General Sibley and his soldiers who saved the Fort during the 14 day siege?
- “The Gibraltar of the West” - Fort Osage of the Alps by Green.
- Osage men were seven feet tall and they all looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger.
- These are the original structures.
- What did they make in the Factory?
- The original Fort burned during an Indian attack.
- The Fort was used during the Civil War.
- Isn’t this a western Calvary post?
- The soldiers were here to attack the Indians.
- Lewis and Clark…
- Built this with the Corps of Discovery in 1804
- Came up river together in 1808 to build the Fort. - The Trade Room was used by white trappers, traders, pioneers and early settlers to acquire supplies.
- The red line in the basement was the high water mark for the flood of 1951/1993.
- Nails weren’t available in this form back then.
- They didn’t have saws/tools like that back then.
- 5,000 - 6,000 Indians lived here during the Forts occupation.
