Monroe, MI – Today, Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) and Senator Carl Levin (D) joined with Assistant Secretary of the Interior Thomas Strickland and National Park Service Deputy Director Daniel Wenk to usher into the National Park System (NPS) America’s 393rd national park. Congressman Dingell and Senator Levin introduced the legislation that authorized the River Raisin National Battlefield Park. President Obama signed the legislation into law on March 30th, 2009. Today’s ceremony, held in the Meyer Theater at Monroe County Community College, celebrated U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar’s official designation of the battlefield as part of the NPS. This follows a donation of land on October 12, 2010 from the City, County and Historical Society of Monroe, comprising nearly 45 core battlefield acres for the park.
Other speakers on the program included: City of Monroe Mayor Robert Clark, County of Monroe Board Chair William Sisk, Monroe County Historical Society President William H. Braunlich, President of The Henry Ford Patricia Mooradian, Director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment Rebecca Humphries, Immediate Past President Jean Guyor, and Midwest Regional Director Ernest Quintana. Musical selections were perfumed by the 1st Michigan Colonial Fife and Drum Corps and the Monroe College/Community Symphony Band.
Congressman Dingell said during the ceremony: “Long had the River Raisin Battlefield languished and suffered the indignity of industrial and residential encroachment. The challenges were monumental in scope – and in many instances unprecedented; however, no matter how complicated these challenges were, no matter how daunting they became, the community repeatedly rose to meet them exhibiting a most uncommon resolve. Thanks to decades of devoted local leadership and an enduring community spirit, the hallowed grounds of the River Raisin National Battlefield Park will forever remain enshrined in the pantheon of our nation’s most revered sites.”
“The War of 1812 was our second war of independence, and the events at the River Raisin were a key moment in that conflict,” said Senator Levin. “The community has worked so hard to make the creation of this park a reality, and now through our national park system, all Americans will be able to share in this integral part of the history of our state and nation.”
The creation of the River Raisin National Battlefield Park is the culmination of a holistic community-wide effort to reclaim the Battlefield from turn of the century industrial development.
Mayor of Monroe Robert Clark: “Since the events of January, 1813 in historic Frenchtown to the present City of Monroe, from these early settlers to the residents of today we have long embraced the memorable and spirited outcry, “Remember the Raisin.” The sustaining spirit and community vision of so many to reclaim this hallowed ground has now culminated in the creation of the River Raisin National Battlefield Park. The magnitude of this achievement will be measured by the future generations who visit, embrace and learn of the ultimate sacrifice of so many during those winter days. The partnerships forged today with the National Park Service will forever ensure that the historical significance of the Battle of the River Raisin, to secure the freedoms of our young nation, will receive national prominence in our American history.”
Monroe County Board of Commission Chairman William Sisk: “Almost 200 years ago a battle for independence was fought here on the banks of the River Raisin. It became the battle cry for our young nation. For over two decades, Monroe County has operated the museum and interpreted with reverence this important chapter in our history; however, this story never belonged to Monroe County alone. The Battlefield of the River Raisin is unquestionably a chapter in America’s history, and we now rightly honor the national importance of this battle.”
Monroe County Historical Society William H. Braunlich: “The Monroe County Historical Society, since formation in 1938, has been dedicated to the proper memorialization of the River Raisin Battlefield. In the 1990s, the MCHS board committed its leadership, inspirational and financial capacities to pursue the dream of large-scale battlefield acquisition, environmental remediation, archeological research and academic scholarship. The Society enthusiastically filled the crucial funding gaps in the battlefield project and provided both political and community advocacy to achieve national park status. We hope that this extraordinary accomplishment will infuse fellow citizens with a tremendous sense of possibility and desire to build on this success. And we now clasp hands with the National Park Service in an expanded partnership dedicated to creating a world-class experience for the visitor to the River Raisin National Battlefield Park.”
The River Raisin National Battlefield Park is home to arguably the largest land engagement in the War of 1812. On January 18, 1813, American forces drove the British from Frenchtown, located along the banks of the River Raisin, only to suffer a stunning defeat four days later on January 22. Following the second battle, native warriors returned to Frenchtown, scalped the remaining injured soldiers and set the settlement aflame. Out of nearly 1,000 American regulars and militia participating in the battle, only 33 escaped death or capture. Major General William Henry Harrison described the loss at the River Raisin as a “national calamity.”
The following summer, American soldiers marched past the scorched earth that was once Frenchtown and were outraged at the charred remains of their fallen comrades. Those soldiers carried their horror with them as they rendered vengeance at the Battle of the Thames. Signifying the importance of the massacre, these words appear on the tomb of President Harrison: “Major General in the War of 1812. Victor of the Battle of the Thames. Avenger of the Massacre of the River Raisin.”
Since 1990, Monroe County, in partnership with the Historic Commission, Historical Society, Friends of the River Raisin and others, has operated a modest, yet impressive, museum on the site of the battlefield. Through these efforts, a passionate cadre of historians and enthusiasts has kept alive the memory of the sacrifice made by those patriots who gave their life in defense of our fledgling country. But for the dedication of these visionaries, on which the foundation of the national park is laid, there would have been little chance for success.
The multimillion dollar effort to restore the natural landscape at River Raisin Battlefield, led by the City and Port of Monroe, has forged a new paradigm in historic preservation. Far from cosmetic, the scientifically based fundamental rehabilitation is changing the way preservationists around the country view historic assets once thought to be lost to development.
