Old Fort Niagara

06/10/2026

🇺🇸 Step beyond the familiar 18th-century story and into a different chapter of Fort Niagara’s history. 🇺🇸

This weekend, explore the Fort’s role during the Civil War. Though far from the front lines, Fort Niagara remained an active U.S. Army installation from 1861–1865. Its garrison ebbed and flowed as units were stationed, trained, and reassigned, while the post itself was strengthened amid concerns along the northern border.

Living history interpreters and reenactors will present ongoing demonstrations of 19th-century soldier and civilian life, including uniforms and equipment, hearth cooking, and activities from the home front, along with a Federal headquarters encampment.

Program Schedule (Both Days):
10:30 am | Flag Ceremony & Dress Parade
11:00 am | Infantry Drill & Firing
12:00 pm | Musket Demonstration & Soldier Talk
1:00 pm | Infantry Drill & Firing
2:00 pm | Musket Demonstration & Soldier Talk
3:00 pm | Infantry Drill & Firing
4:00 pm | Musket Demonstration & Soldier Talk

Open 10 am – 4 pm.

Join us to consider how this long-serving post adapted to a nation at war.

06/07/2026

It’s a great day to visit Old Fort Niagara!

The 300th anniversary celebration of the French Castle continues today, with the Fort open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and afternoon programs inside the building.

Spend time exploring the site, step inside the Castle, and take a closer look at how it was built and used 300 years ago.

Experience:

1:00 pm | Guided program on the design and use of the Castle
2:30 pm | The Gold Laced Coat Tour

Musket demonstrations continue throughout the afternoon.

Come out, take your time, and enjoy the day at the Fort!

06/06/2026

The weekend isn’t over yet!

Tomorrow at Old Fort Niagara, the focus shifts inside the French Castle as the 300th anniversary celebration continues.

Spend time inside the building itself, take a closer look at how it was designed and used, and connect with the people who lived and worked here three centuries ago.

Programs include:
11:30 am | Dress and Identity in New France
1:00 pm | Guided program on the design and use of the Castle
2:30 pm | The Gold Laced Coat Tour

Musket demonstrations continue throughout the afternoon.

The Fort is open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

If today sparked your interest, tomorrow is the chance to come back and go deeper!

06/06/2026

There is still time to be part of it.

Rededication Day continues this afternoon at Old Fort Niagara, with activity across the site and key moments still ahead.

At 2:00 pm, the French Castle will be formally rededicated, marking 300 years of its history.

At 3:00 pm, an artillery salute will carry across the river.

Throughout the afternoon, the Fort remains active with demonstrations of trades, soldier life, and interpretation happening across the grounds.

Join us any time before 4:00.

We hope to see you soon!

06/06/2026

Today’s the day!

Old Fort Niagara marks 300 years of the French Castle, and it all begins this morning.

The gates open at 10:00 am, and from that moment on, the Fort is alive with activity across the grounds. Soldiers, tradespeople, music, and movement build throughout the day as the story of 1726 unfolds.

Here’s what you’ll experience:

10:00 am | The Fort Opens
Step into a working 18th-century site as demonstrations and interpretation begin across the grounds.

11:00 am | Arrival by Ship
Watch as engineer Chaussegros de Lery comes ashore, marking the moment construction begins.

11:30 am | Laying Out the Fort
See military engineering in action as the ground is measured and the Fort takes shape.

12:00 pm | Haudenosaunee Dance
A presentation of Indigenous culture and tradition at the heart of this landscape.

1:00 pm | Council with Seneca Diplomats
Witness negotiations between the French and Seneca, presented in the languages used at the time.

1:30 pm | French Women’s Fashion
An exploration of daily life, identity, and adaptation on the frontier.

2:00 pm | Rededication Ceremony
Officials from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the United States, Canada, and France mark this 300-year milestone.

3:00 pm | Artillery Salute
A live firing that echoes across the river.

3:30 pm | Harpsichord Recital
Inside the Castle, a quieter close to the day.

All day long, demonstrations continue across the Fort: trades at work, soldiers drilling, muskets firing.

Come for the full experience or arrive when you can. There is always something exciting happening here at the Fort!

We hope to see you here!

Image courtesy of Frank Hassey

06/05/2026

Rededication Day takes place tomorrow at Old Fort Niagara!

The program is set, and the Fort will be active throughout the day with demonstrations, interpretation, and scheduled events marking 300 years of the French Castle.

Visitors are welcome any time between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm.

Image courtesy of Susan Potera

06/04/2026

We took the USS Trippe out for a test run today with the incredible crew at Buffalo Maritime Center, getting ready for something pretty special.

This Saturday at 11:00 am, she takes center stage as French engineer Chaussegros de Lery arrives at the French Castle for its 300th anniversary.

It is not every day you get to watch history arrive by water. Come be part of it on June 6!

06/04/2026

Planning to visit this weekend?

Rededication Day is designed as a full-day experience, with activity building across the Fort from morning through the afternoon.

Arrive when the gates open at 10:00 and watch the day take shape, from early demonstrations and preparation to the 11:00 am ship arrival that marks the beginning of construction.

Stay through the afternoon as the story continues, leading into the 2:00 pm rededication ceremony and 3:00 pm artillery salute.

In between, the entire site is active with demonstrations, interpretation, and conversation happening across the grounds.

Move through the Fort at your own pace and take it all in as the day unfolds.

Saturday, 10:00 am–4:00 pm

06/04/2026

This weekend, Old Fort Niagara marks 300 years of the French Castle.

On Saturday, June 6, the Fort comes to life with a full day of programs tracing the moment construction began in 1726.

Watch the arrival of engineer Chaussegros de Lery by boat, see the Fort laid out using 18th-century methods, and experience demonstrations of trades, military life, and daily activity across the site.

The day culminates with the rededication of the Castle at 2:00 pm and an artillery salute at 3:00 pm.

There is activity throughout the Fort all day. Come for a specific program or spend time exploring at your own pace.

Saturday, 10:00 am–4:00 pm

Image courtesy of NYS Parks

06/03/2026

This weekend, you can watch the story of the French Castle unfold at Old Fort Niagara.

If you want a deeper understanding of what you’ll see on site, this podcast episode from Prime & Load follows the Castle from its beginnings in 1726 through the many ways the Fort has been shaped by the people who lived, worked, and passed through here.

It’s a great way to add context to the weekend’s programs, whether you’re watching the engineer’s arrival by ship, seeing the Fort laid out, or spending time inside the French Castle.

We’re open both days:
Saturday, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm | Rededication Day programming across the Fort, including demonstrations, ceremonies, and an artillery salute

Sunday, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm | Programs focused inside the Castle, with special presentations and guided thematic tours

We’re grateful to Prime & Load for taking the time to share this story. 💙

Listen here:

Join the Prime and Load War Room on PatreonOld Fort Niagara's 300th Birthday!Recommended Reading: Memoir Upon the Late War in North America by Pierre Pouchot The Siege of Fort Niagara 1759 by Brian Leigh DunniganEpisode SummaryFor t...