Old Fort Niagara is 300-year old
military outpost that rests on a cliff in Youngstown, NY, facing Lake
Ontario. The fort is close to the famous Niagara Falls, the most
powerful waterfall in North America.
Fort Niagara was originally established
in 1726. The French colonial forces built the massive fort here to
replace earlier structures dating from the 17th century. The French
wanted to use the fort to control the Great Lakes region, and to
defend French interests from their main military opponents: the
British and the Native American Iroquis Confederacy.
By 1759, the British took over the
fort, in the midst of what is known in America as the French &
Indian War (a North American extension of a greater European
struggle). After the American Revolution, control over the fort
passed to the fledgling United States of America. The British briefly
regained control of the fort during the War of 1812, but this did not
last.
Nowadays, the fort is registered as a
National Historic Landmark. Over 100,000 tourists come to see the
fort annually. Military history buffs are especially attracted by
this monument to America's military past, with its well-preserved
examples of actual 18th century defensive structures. Real weapons
from the fort's heyday are on display throughout the compound. There
are also historical reenactments and special lectures. Mementos of
the fort's past can be purchased from the museum shop.
The fort is a beautiful place to visit
in its own right, in addition to its historical significance. The
massive wood-and-stone compound is the oldest currently standing
building around all of the Great Lakes. From the battlements,
visitors can see the icy water of Lake Ontario, surrounded by
forests of pine.
