The Fort Howard military reservation lands were abandoned for military purposes by the war department.

The evidence

• “Fort Howard military reservation was set apart by order of the [president March 2, 1829, •and comprised all the lands lying upon Fox river and Green bay, in township 24 north, range 20 east, 4th principal meridian, being about four thousand acres. The lands were abandoned for military purposes, by the war department, December 4, 1850. By an act of congress approved March 3, 1863, the commissioner of the general land office was authorized and directed to cause the reservation, including the site of the fort, containing three and four-hundredths acres, situated in the county of Brown, between Fox river and Beaver Dam run, and which is not included in the confirmations to T.”

  1879-history-of-rock-county/04-wisconsin-railroads-commerce-health-statistics.md, PDF p. 217

  Butterfield, C. W., et al. The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1879. Cornell University Library via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/cu31924028871585.

  Grade A: Found on a page of one of our sources