Old Fort Niagara at 300: Public programs to mark anniversary on June 5-7

Old Fort Niagara press release

Three hundred years ago in June, French soldiers and tradesmen landed at the mouth of the Niagara River to establish Fort Niagara. Their mission was to construct a massive stone fortification disguised as a house. This building, known today as the French Castle, is the oldest structure in the Great Lakes Basin.

To celebrate this historical milestone, Old Fort Niagara will present a unique public program, June 5-7. On Friday, regional school students will experience the Niagara Frontier of three centuries ago, learning about historical building trades that went into the French Castle and reliving the early 18th century, when Lake Ontario was a contested frontier.

Saturday is rededication day, as officials from the Seneca Nation, France, the U.S. and Canada gather to mark the French Castle’s tricentennial. The day begins with a recreation of the arrival of French engineer Gaspard-Joseph Chaussegros de Léry and his military escort at 11 a.m. The party will arrive aboard the U.S.S. Trippe, an early 19th century sailing vessel built by the Buffalo Maritime Center. After marching into the fort, the party will begin laying out the fortifications in a hands-on military engineering demonstration.

At noon, The Haudenosaunee Dancers will present a demonstration of Indigenous dance and stories. This program will bring to life the rich cultural traditions that predated the arrival of the French and the establishment of Fort Niagara. This will be followed at 1 p.m. by the recreation of a council between Seneca diplomats and the French commander, Capt. Charles LeMoyne de Longueuil. Women’s fashion of the 1720s will take center stage at 1:30 p.m. as the Dames of Vintage Experiences present French women’s fashions 1720-60.

Officials from the Seneca Nation, France, the U.S. and Canada will gather at 2 p.m. for a rededication ceremony in front of the French Castle. This will be followed by an artillery salute at 3 p.m., marking 300 years of history at the mouth of the Niagara River. The program will end with a recital of early 18th century harpsichord music in the Sir William Johnson Room of the French Castle.

Old Fort Niagara photos by Wayne Peters.

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Ongoing programs during the day will include period masonry, blacksmithing and woodworking, swordsmanship, tin smithing, gunsmithing, leather working, weaving and surveying.

On Sunday, the fort will present a special PowerPoint presentation titled “It Will Serve the Purposes of a Fort, Just as Well: The Story Behind the Construction of the French Castle.” This talk will take place in the Old Fort Niagara Visitor Center at 1 p.m. This will be followed at 2:30 p.m. by special tours based on the popular children’s book “The Gold Laced Coat.” Hourly musket demonstrations will be presented between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Old Fort Niagara will also mark the 300th anniversary by republishing “The Glorious Old Relic: The French Castle and Old Fort Niagara” by the late Brian Leigh Dunnigan. This definitive history of the French Castle has been out of print for decades. The work will be republished with a fresh new look by Western New York Heritage Press. The cost of the book is $25. It will be available at Old Fort Niagara’s Museum Shop, while supplies last.

In addition, the brewers at Brickyard Brewing Company are offering a beer to commemorate 300 years of the French Castle. This approachable lager is brewed with French-grown barley and hops. Crisp and clean malt is balanced by an herbal, slightly floral hop character. Lagered to perfection just down the road from the French Castle, this special brew can be purchased at Brickyard, DiMino’s Lewiston Tops, and additional outlets across the region.

French engineer Gaspard-Joseph Chaussegros de Léry and 100 soldiers and artisans arrived at the mouth of the Niagara River on June 8, 1726. They immediately began construction of a 96-by-48-foot stone building known today as the French Castle. The building included barracks space for about 30 soldiers, officers’ quarters, a trade room, a bakery, a gunpowder magazine and a chapel. Construction was completed in October 1727. Over the years, the castle served as barracks, officers’ quarters, and housing for civilian employees of the U.S. Army. The building was restored between 1927 and 1934 to represent its 1726 appearance. Today, the French Castle serves as the heart of Old Fort Niagara.

Old Fort Niagara is located in Youngstown. Visit www.oldfortniagara.org for more information.