Fort Ontario facts for kids
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Fort Ontario
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View from Fort Ontario
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1 E. 4th St. and Lake Ontario, Oswego, New York |
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| Area | 36 acres (15 ha) |
| Built | 1839 |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000426 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 18, 1970 |
Fort Ontario is an amazing old fort located right by Lake Ontario in Oswego, New York. It's owned by New York State and is now a cool museum called the Fort Ontario State Historic Site. This historic fort has a long and exciting history, playing a part in many important moments in American history!
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Where is Fort Ontario?
Fort Ontario sits on the east side of the Oswego River. It's on high ground, giving it a great view of Lake Ontario. This spot was perfect for watching out for enemies.
Fort Ontario's Early Days
Fort Ontario was one of several forts built by the British. They wanted to protect the area near the east end of Lake Ontario. The first Fort Ontario was built in 1755. This was during the French and Indian War, a big fight between the British and French. The fort helped protect Fort Oswego, which was on the other side of the river.
At first, it was called the "Fort of the Six Nations." But French forces destroyed it in 1756 during the Battle of Fort Oswego. The British rebuilt it in 1759.
After Pontiac's War, a Native American uprising, the leader Pontiac made a peace treaty. He met with William Johnson at Fort Ontario on July 25, 1766.
Fort Ontario During the American Revolution
During the American Revolutionary War, American soldiers destroyed the fort in July 1778. This happened after the British left it. But the British came back and rebuilt the fort in 1782. There was a planned attack by Colonel Marinus Willet in 1783, but it didn't happen. The British kept control of the fort even after the war ended. They finally gave it up in 1796, after a treaty called Jay's Treaty was signed.
Fort Ontario in the 1800s
The British attacked and destroyed the fort again in 1814. This was during the War of 1812. After being unused for a while, new construction began. This was partly because of continued tensions with Great Britain. It also helped stop people from smuggling goods between Canada and the United States.
During the American Civil War, more building started at the fort. People worried that Britain might help the Confederacy (the Southern states). After the war, the fort housed Company F, 42nd Infantry. These were soldiers who had been wounded but joined the U.S. Army again. Even though it stayed a military base, the fort itself started to fall apart. Money was used to build newer living areas outside the fort instead.
Fort Ontario's Recent History
When the United States joined World War I in April 1917, the fort became a military hospital. It was called General Hospital No. 5. This place trained medical workers before they went to France.
In 1921, the fort became an infantry base again. The 28th Infantry Regiment was there first. Then, in 1933, the 2nd Brigade of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division called Fort Ontario home. They stayed until 1940. During this time, some old buildings inside the fort were fixed up. A golf course was even built on the grassy walls!
In 1940, the fort was updated to be a place for new soldiers to join the army. It got 60 new buildings for 3,000 men. But it was used instead as a base for anti-aircraft units from the National Guard. As America entered World War II, Fort Ontario changed again. It became a training center for African American military police.
Later in the war, the fort became a safe place for about 982 Jewish refugees. They lived there from August 1944 to February 1946. The Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter was the only time the United States offered shelter to Jewish refugees during the war. After the war, there were discussions about whether they could become U.S. citizens. In January 1946, they were allowed to become citizens. By February, all the refugees could leave Fort Ontario.
The U.S. Army closed the fort after World War II. However, some buildings are still used for training by the Army Reserve.
Today, the restored fort is open to everyone as a state historic site. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. In 2010, Fort Ontario was one of the historical sites that might lose funding. This was due to New York State's budget problems. Many people from Oswego and students from the State University of New York at Oswego came together to support the fort.
Fort Ontario was built along with two other forts nearby: Fort George and Fort Oswego.
What Fort Ontario Looks Like
The fort you see today has a five-sided shape, like a pentagonal star. It has five pointy parts called bastions. These bastions were designed for large cannons. These cannons fired over the top of the wall. Some cannons, called howitzers, were placed inside special rooms built into the walls. These rooms are called casemates.
The stone walls of the bastions also had small openings for rifle fire. These openings are called loopholes. They look a bit different depending on who designed them. Originally, a triangular part called a ravelin protected the side facing Lake Ontario. It also held heavy guns.
Today, the fort has several important buildings. These include Officer Quarters #1, the Powder Magazine (where gunpowder was stored), the Enlisted Men's Barracks (where soldiers slept), and the Storehouse. There are also two guardhouses near the tunnel that leads to the main entrance.
See also
