Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-24
FORT NIAGARA OLD
FRONTIER LANDMARK
Opposition to Proposed Aban-
dOnment of Historic Mill
tary Post.
From the Buffalo Courier.

from the Bunal0 Courier.
Today Fort Niagara is the Oldest ant
the most famous and the most histori,
fort in the United States, and with TIL
possible exception of Quebec, is beyond
question the best preserved old fort ii
North America. In early days It wa
the only pass to the west. and long aftel
the war Of 1872 it was the key to all tn,
western country.
The question of abandoning Fort Nj
agara and Fort Porter was discussed il
Congress In 1902, and the present agita
ton Is probably due to ignorance Of tn,
titles. The present Fort Niagara is tn.
last Of six forts on that site:
Ffrst-Fort La Sale. as recall it, wa.
fortified house when La Sale spent the
winter of 1869-7O there.
Second-Fort Cont, built by La Sale in
1879. and burned the same year.
Third-Fort de Nonville. built by Mar:
Quis de Nonvflle in 1857, and abandoned
the next year, the French yielding te
British demands for its destruction. TIL,
French left standing the great cross
eighteen feet high. on the parade ground
which was blessed on Good Friday, 1858
by Father Millet.
Fourth-In 1877 was built the first Fort
Niagara. which was merely the present
castle.
Fffth-in 1870 the second Fort Niagara
was constructed. 1t was wooden paling
inclosfng one acre of land.
Sixth-In 1857 the third Fort Niagara,
of the present size, with earthworks, the
same now as then, was built by Capt
Touchat. The present stone wall was
built in 1889 and the big walls in 1860.
The castle is the oldest building west
of Albany.
The txyn t,1oolr boucoc TODAY are tho host
examples of that style of architecture In
all America.
French. and British Garrisons.
Fort Niagara was held by the French
1927 to 1853: by the British, 1859 to 1888
and by the British again through the
'hold-over'' period, 1888 to 1885, and by
the United States from then until now.
1t was captured by the British after g
nineteen-day siege in 1859, and in Deem
Der, 1913, the British again captured 1t
from the United States and held it until
May, 1915. In 1884 New York state es-
tablished the mile strip which runs from
Fort Niagara reservation to Genesee
street in Buffalo. 1t was INHIBITED from
sale.
Authority was granted by the legisla
ture Of New York to the land commits
sioners to cede Fort Niagara and ADA
cent lands necessary for the purpose tt
the United States. April q, under chap
ter 155, laws of 1910. jurisdiction ovel
Fort Niagara reservation was ceded %!
New York to the United States. TIT
patent was given July 3. 1S4l, and recfte
the fact that if the land shall cease t.
be used by the United States Tor military
purposes it will revert to the state o
New York.
State Park Urged.
The Empire state should make it a stat
park, marking the buildings and preserv
ing the fort as a part of Niagara res
ervation, connecting Herewith by high
way, as Canada has done on her side o
the river.
Around the old fort cluster memorie
of the John Cares, Touchat, Sir William
Johnston, Brant, the Buffers, Clinton
Israel Putnam. Gen. Haldimand, Gen
Simcoe; later still of Brock. Van Rens
selaer and Mcclure Of unpleasant mem
DRY; later still of William Morgan of anti
Masonic fame.
Its communicates. both French an
English, ruled over a territory tina
reached east to near Albany and west t
near Detroit.
Winnie wrote in 1779: Niagara is with
out exception the most important pas
in America and secures greater mum
Der of lines of communication through
more extensive country than any othe
pass in the world!'
The United States may abandon 1t a
a garrison fort, but the people of tn
Empire state and of the country will de
mand that it be guarded and preserves
as the most important military relic II
America-valueless, strategically, but O
enormous value historically.
1t is our last remaining link between
today and the time when La Sale rec
ognized it as the real gateway to tn
west.
Fort Porter, of course, should be re
tanned as q garrison post, and the PEG
pie Of Niagara county will naturally op
pose the abandonment of fort whicl
has been continually garrisoned for al
most 200 years.