Old Fort Niagara marks 300 years of the French Castle
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 presented a unique public program, June 5-7. On Friday, regional school students experienced 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 was rededication day, as officials from the Seneca Nation, France, the U.S. and Canada gathered to mark the French Castle’s tricentennial. The day began with a recreation of the arrival of French engineer Gaspard-Joseph Chaussegros de Léry and his military escort at 11 a.m. The party arrived 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 presented a demonstration of Indigenous dance and stories. This program brings to life the rich cultural traditions that predated the arrival of the French and the establishment of Fort Niagara. This was followed 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 gathered at 2 p.m. for a rededication ceremony in front of the French Castle. This will be followed by an artillery salute, marking 300 years of history at the mouth of the Niagara River. The program ended with a recital of early 18th century harpsichord music in the Sir William Johnson Room of the French Castle.
Read more HERE!
