Visit Fort Ontario for War of 1812 Garrison Weekend

OSWEGO – Join Fort Ontario State Historic Site as it kicks off its opening weekend with a War of 1812-era encampment! Enjoy historical demonstrations and learn more about the war and the fort’s history. The event takes place this Saturday and Sunday, May 10 and 11 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the old stone fort, located at 1 E. First St., Oswego.

Fort staff and volunteers will be dressed in the uniforms of soldiers, sailors and civilians from the War of 1812, including the Glengarry Light Infantry. There will be demonstrations of camp life, tactical drills and more!

This event roughly aligns with the Battle of Oswego, which took place on May 6, 1814. The battle was an attack on the American-held Fort Ontario by about 1,100 British troops, including the 2nd Battalion, Royal Marines, the Glengarry Light Infantry and the Regiment de Watteville.

The fort was garrisoned by less than 300 American Regulars and bolstered by about 200 militiamen. The British goal was to cut off integral supply routes to capture artillery guns intended for ships under construction at Sackets Harbor, and they were partially successful. British troops captured and burned the fort, took considerable ordinance stores out of American hands, but only captured about one-fourth of the guns they believed were at Oswego.

The 2025 season at Fort Ontario State Historic Site runs May 10 through October 13. It is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 4:30 p.m. The fort is also open on Monday holidays that occur during its season.

For more information or to view a schedule of events, visit the Fort’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/FortOntario.

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About Fort Ontario State Historic Site:

The New York?State Office?of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more and welcomes over 80 million visitors annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit?parks.ny.gov, download the free?NY State Parks Explorer app?or call 518.474.0456. Connect with us on?Facebook,?Instagram,?X (formerly Twitter), the?OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.

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