Old Fort Niagara-Colonial Niagara Historic District
National Historic Landmark

Old Fort Niagara-Colonial Niagara Historic District

Youngstown, Niagara County, New York
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
District
Period
Colonial
Ref No.
66000556

About this property

Fort Niagara, also known as Old Fort Niagara, is a fortification originally built by New France to protect its interests in North America, specifically control of access between the Niagara River and Lake Ontario, the easternmost of the Great Lakes. The fort is on the river's eastern bank at its mouth on Lake Ontario. Youngstown, New York, later developed nearby. The British took over the fort in 1759 during the French and Indian War. Although the United States ostensibly was ceded the fort after it gained independence in the American Revolutionary War, the British stayed until 1796. Transfer to the U.S. came after signing of the Jay Treaty that reaffirmed and implemented the legal border with British Canada. Although the US Army deactivated the fort in 1963, the Coast Guard continues to have a presence. A non-profit group operates the fort and grounds as a state park and preserves it in part as a museum and site for historical re-enactments. It is also a venue for special events related to the region's history.

Location

Youngstown, Niagara County, New York
43.26301, -79.06256

Categories

HISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINALMILITARYEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Old Fort Niagara-Colonial Niagara Historic District

This page lists Old Fort Niagara-Colonial Niagara Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Fort Niagara Light
Early Republic
0.1 mi
Carter, John, Farmstead
Industrial
0.8 mi
St. John's Episcopal Church
Industrial
0.9 mi
Frontier House
Industrial
6.3 mi
First Presbyterian Church of Lewiston and Lewiston Village Cemetery
Industrial
6.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Old Fort Niagara-Colonial Niagara Historic District listed on the National Register?

Old Fort Niagara-Colonial Niagara Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Old Fort Niagara-Colonial Niagara Historic District?

Old Fort Niagara-Colonial Niagara Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Old Fort Niagara-Colonial Niagara Historic District a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Old Fort Niagara-Colonial Niagara Historic District has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Old Fort Niagara-Colonial Niagara Historic District?

The period of significance for Old Fort Niagara-Colonial Niagara Historic District is recorded as the colonial era, specifically around 1678.

Can I research the history near Old Fort Niagara-Colonial Niagara Historic District?

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