Today we went to Fort Niagara. We had the place to ourselves except for a nice couple from Washington on a cross-country trip too! Seeing the massive fort, looking out on to Lake Ontario (which is like an ocean it's so big) and understanding how this was a major factor in trading and transportation made me re-think what a fort was. I used to think of them as wooden pole fences and some scattered structures with a lookout tower, utilitarian, rough and dirty.
The place is relatively untouched, with the bunks, rifle and musket holes, cannons, mortars and small details of what life was like in the 1700 and 1800's when it was changing hands from French, British and Americans all competing for support of powerful Iroquois Confederacy. That's why three flags fly here daily. It had tables, beds, candles and barrels set up in rooms like the boulangerie (bakery for bread) or Munitions house with it's four foot thick walls. We saw where the soldiers slept in long group beds. It was a new experience to not only hear and read history but see and feel it. Putting our hands on the same walls and heavy doors as countless soldiers must have. It was a new and changing experience for me. We walked down the network of staircases as they must have being called to gun practice and meals. The "home" or French Castle, was built in 1726 (the oldest building In N. American Great Lakes region) with the permission of the Iroquois indians who said they could build a home but not a fort or military building. They built a fort but made it look like a home on the outside. The windows for example looked normal until you went up to them and there are hollow spaces under the sill where men could drop things or fire upon enemies. Each group that overtook the fort added things and expanded the grounds and made more and more elaborate military defenses and offenses to it. You can check out it's very busy and interesting history here: www.oldfortniagara.org. The biggest thing that have is the restored giant flag that was captured and held for years and the museum got it returned and restored it and are preserving it in a climate controlled room that is dark but you can see it on display. This was a valuable and important place in America's history. Look it up!
While we were there, a man dressed in full uniform and carrying a musket walked over the field to the "peace" house and told us all about muskets, rifles, strategy and warfare of the time. He even showed us how to load a musket and fire it. He told us about myths and origins of sayings. For instance, the saying, "Don't let the cat out of the bag" and "Lobster Backs or Red Coats" came from British military officers being harsh and whipping soldiers. The "cat" in the bag was a Cat-O-Nine Tails whip kept in a red bag on the officer's waist. When the soldiers were whipped for disobedience or not loading your rifle fast enough or completing a task their backs were turned red or bloody. The man's name was Jordan Buckley I think which was funny since we were from Buckley, WA He was very smart and knew so much about history and weapons. He made it come alive for us and added a lot to the experience. I like the firing of the gun but the history behind it all was best part. Mr. Buckley reads a lot and mom says maybe one day, because I read a lot, I could work at a place like this teaching people history.
The fort was a sight to see with two towers, artillery, cannon rooms, and Lake Ontario and complete with the defensive mansion gives me a new way of looking at a fort and in a more picturesque way. It was very pretty for a fort with grassy mounds and cobblestone paths with big beautiful view. I'm ready to compare Fort Niagara with other forts. Anyone been to other forts on the East Coast we should see?
Happy Trails!
Jack
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