Directions

To get to Old Fort Niagara from Buffalo, New York take the I-190 North to the Robert Moses Parkway and travel North to Fort Niagara State Park (bear left at the end). At the Park entrance to the park you will be asked if you are going to the Fort or the Park. Parking fees will be refunded as part of the Fort admission. The total mileage from Buffalo is about 30 miles.

You will park between the Light House and Building 42, the latter dates from the 1890's and what was once an army storeroom is now the archaeology building for the Fort. Signs will direct you to the drawbridge and gate house. Passing across the bridge you will follow the cobble stones into the south redoubt where tickets can be purchased.

For people who will be returning to the fort at a later date it is advisable to purchase a family or individual membership. This will give you unlimited free annual visits and a handy discount in the "no-junk allowed" trading post which is a must see for avid booksters.

Locations

See the map at the end of this page for reference points.

Point 1-Provisions Storehouse 1762

A long stone provision storehouse with exhibits and the Association Offices.

Point 2-The Powder Magazine 1757

Survived the siege and in service as a magazine as late as 1929. High vaulted ceilings, thick walls and the vaulted ceiling is covered with earth to absorb artillery fire during siege. Currently used as a display area with paintings and artifacts.

Point 3-Dauphin Battery and Gate of the Five Nations circa 1756

From 1756 to 1805 the Fort's main gateway. Battery platform for 5 guns that cover the entrance to the gateway. The area is a 1931 reconstruction being modified since then.

Point 4-South Redoubt 1770

This structure served as an added gate defense. The top deck is a gun platform and the building could host a garrison of twenty men. A reconstructed guardroom is located on the second floor.

Point 5 -18 Pounder Gun Battery 1840-1872

Gun batteries were placed here as early as the War of 1812. In 1840 the batteries were replaced and directed at the Canadian shore but were never required to fired. Their field of fire would have attempted to stop any flotilla from passing the post.

Point 6 -Scarp Walls and Casemate Gallery circa 1872

The earth horn works of the fort were replaced in part with concrete and brick casemates between 1863 and 1872. The fort boasts two casemate galleries; north and south which provide an excellent crossfire. The casemates could mount four 24 pounders. This is a trip back to the Civil War for it's beauty. Each gallery has rifle slits and a powder magazine.

Point 7-Land Defenses 1755-1872

The outline of this portion of the fort follows Pouchot's original plan. Portions of this area have been covered with brick. The old sally port entrance between the two casemate galleries leads visitors from the parade ground passed the Civil War Period brick work to the older French earth works which include the outer works a ravelin, dry ditch, palisades and lunette. The North bastion was once part of the French earth works. Here the British in the siege of 1759 moved to within one hundred yards of the North Bastion.

Point 8-Historic Flags 1726 to 1759

Don't be fooled by the white flag! The white flag was the French Marine Department flag during the French and India War. Along side it are the American and British flags. Near these three flags is the fort well. Surrounding this entire area is the fort's parade ground.

Point 9-North Redoubt 1771

In general design the two redoubts are identical in many ways but their functions were quite different. Originally the North redoubt first floor was a powder magazine with the upper sections being used as a guardroom and the top floor a gun deck. Both redoubts are topped with Chinese-style roofs and are classical Roman-style pieces of architecture.

Point 10-Millet Cross 1926

This is where the soldiers of fort Denonville are commemorated. They died of disease and hunger in the winter of 1687-1688.

Point 11-Rush-Bagot Memorial 1934

On a clear day you can see the city sky line of Toronto, Ontario. This monument remembers the Rush-Bagot arms agreement that kept the border of Canada and the United States unfortified for over 150 years with minor exceptions.

Point 12-The French Castle 1726

There is just too much too detail but briefly, it's he oldest building on the Great Lakes and the oldest building at the Fort. Its powder magazine on the first floor may have hosted Robert Rogers as a chained prisoner in 1768 for a brief time. Some speculate that the evidence indicates Rogers might have been kept prisoner on the second floor. Graffiti from the French occupants can be seen intact. The Castle was the "House of Peace" used originally as a fortified trading house. It has some 17 rooms and halls. It has a chapel, officer's quarters, guardrooms, kitchen and trade goods storerooms. Recently the dormers were restored to their original design with murder holes and looped shutters. The roof has been completely repaired. The visitor will view something very close to what the building must have looked like in the French period.

Point 13-Bakehouse 1762

A French bake oven had served the fort's garrison at this spot before 1762 but what we see today is the British bakery with the original bricks from the French bake oven salvaged from the original building which burned in 1761. The bakehouse has a double oven and served the garrisons until 1870.

Point 14-La Salle Monument 1934

The monument was erected to honor La Salle's work on the Great Lakes. This monument marks the general site of the first French Fort in 1679. La Salle established Fort Conti here and during his explorations built the vessel "Griffon" on which he traveled the Great Lakes.

Point 15-The River Defenses 1839-1843

With the 1814 construction of Fort Mississauga on the Canadian side of the river the Americans erected the existing cut stone wall with its postern gate from 1839 to 1841. Along the wall is a hot shot battery complete with an oven to heat the shot built in 1843. After 1839 the postern gate became the fort's main entrance.

Point 16-Log Cabin 1932

This structure was built to represent a 1757 trade building. Today it houses the Museum Shop. This is a well run outlet for people seeking literature, prints and films. The rubber tomahawk has been buried in the past. Today valuable and reasonable purchases can be made here. The proceeds are used for the preservation and operation of Old Fort Niagara.

More Old Fort Niagara

Old Fort Niagara Introduction
Forts Conti and Denonville (slow: 175K)
Siege of Fort Niagara during the French and Indian War (slow: 200K)
American Revolution and War of 1812 (slow: 263K)
A Brief Tour of the Existing Buildings (75K)
Conclusion and Contacts (slow: 187K)
Bookstore Buys
Re-enactors and Fort George Photos (very slow: 408K)
Pre-renovation: 1926 Photos (very slow: 268K)
1909 Postcard of Old Fort Niagara (slow: 165K)

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