I just became aware that Old Fort Niagara is marking the 300th anniversary of the construction of what is now called the French Castle, the oldest building in the Great Lakes Basin.
This occasion cannot go unremarked.
Fort Niagara, located along the Niagara River at Lake Ontario, was an important installation athwart a transition point from the eastern British Colonies into the North American interior. As such, it was a strategic target for the British in the French & Indian War, and became an important base for the frontier war in New York and Pennsylvania during the American Revolution.
The highly effective Loyalist force known as Butler’s Rangers was based out of Fort Niagara from 1778 until the unit were disbanded in 1784, operating in the Mohawk Valley, Pennsylvania and even into Kentucky late in the war. The Iroquois, in particular the Seneca, would flee to Fort Niagara for succor after the Sullivan Expedition of 1779 destroyed their towns.
All of this dramatic history will be recounted in upcoming episodes of the Frontier Partisans Podcast.
The estimable Prime & Load Podcast explores the history of this important base.
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Kentucky Educational Television has released a nice piece on the early forts that were crucial to the survival of Kentucky’s early settlers.
The survival of Fort Harrod, Fort Boonesborough and Logan’s Fort through the crucial years of 1777-78 allowed the foothold of American settlement in Kentucky to stabilize and eventually establish Kentucky as the 15th state — the first state established west of the Appalachian chain.
Paul McNamee says
BTW – ironically, the day you posted your Battle of Oriskany episode, a friend of mine posted photos from a road trip to Fort Stanwix for novel research. I sent him your (podcast) way.
JimC says
Outstanding.
Brian H. says
While I’ve been a Coloradan since I was 9, I was born in upstate N.Y. Visiting Old Fort Niagara as a little kid definitely threw some bigger wood on a just-started fire in the mind of a boy already enamored with stories about Squanto and Crockett and Boone.
JimC says
The twig was bent early.
The Black Tyrone says
My Family for decades has held in high esteem the great July 4th movie…Drums along the Mohawk with Henry Fonda. My children were all competitive cross country runners. Look for that sequence. It’s been copied more than once in film at least in variation, Wilde’s The Naked Prey and Mann’s film.
JimC says
Yes! I will be talking about this in the next Frontier Partisans Podcast.
The Black Tyrone says
Gibson also produced an entire movie Apocalypto Now. Along with Wilde’s they may be the two most gripping. Some one needs to put on film the legendary Phlippides run done in hoplite armor according to the sources. Jim, I suppose there is some truth to the adage “great minds think alike”. Be safe on the 4th. I know of what I speak.
JimC says
Back at you Tyrone. My son-in-law has taken up ultra-running. I keep feeding him inspirational tales of historical feats.
The Black Tyrone says
back in my college days sooooolong ago I ran across the West by God Virginia pan handle. I was young and not always fueled by reason…like most kids Don’t let him quit!
JimC says
He’s pretty hooked on it.
the Black Tyrone says
Yeah… kind of like Paul Newman saying “I can eat 50 eggs!”