Fort Wilkins was established in 1843. It is located in Copper Harbor, Michigan on the tip of the Keewenaw Peninsula. The US was worried about possible conflicts between Indians and unruly Copper miners who had come to the Upper for the Copper rush. The fort was only used for a few years as eventually the copper mines were taken over by the big Copper companies. Fort Wilkins was used briefly after the Civil war and then closed. The Fort is still standing on the shores of Lake Fanny Hooe and is being lovingly kept and restored.