History & Culture

For thousands of years the ancient trail that connects the Mohawk River and Wood Creek served as a vital link for people traveling between the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Ontario. Travelers used this well-worn route through Oneida Indian territory to carry trade goods and news, as well as diseases, to others far away. When Europeans arrived they called this trail the Oneida Carrying Place and inaugurated a significant period in American history--a period when nations fought for control of not only the Oneida Carrying Place, but the Mohawk Valley, the homelands of the Six Nations Confederacy, and the rich resources of North America as well. In this struggle Fort Stanwix would play a vital role.

Known as "the fort that never surrendered," Fort Stanwix, under the command of Col. Peter Gansevoort, successfully repelled a prolonged siege, in August 1777, by British, German, Loyalist, Canadian, and American Indian troops and warriors commanded by British Gen. Barry St. Leger. The failed siege combined with the battles at Oriskany, Bennington, and Saratoga thwarted a coordinated effort by the British in 1777, under the leadership of Gen. John Burgoyne, to take the northern colonies, and led to American alliances with France and the Netherlands. Troops from Fort Stanwix also participated in the 1779 Clinton-Sullivan Campaign and protected America's northwest frontier from British campaigns until finally being abandoned in 1781.

 
People
A little girl in 18th C clothing peers at something from behind a sentry box.
Learn more about the people who played a role in the history of the Oneida Carry and Fort Stanwix/Schuyler.
Places
A 4-point, star-shaped wooden structure as seen from above.
What is the Oneida Carry? What was Fort Schuyler? Where is the Mohawk Valley? Find the answer to these questions, and more.
Be a Citizen Archivist!
An 18th Century drawing of a soldier that says "I need you to tell my story"
Make a permanent contribution to the historical record by helping to transcribe these pension files.
Daily Life Series
A man in a soldier's uniform sits at a wooden table and writes with a feather pen.
What was a typical day at the historic fort like? Watch the following films to find out!
Collections
Two rusty chunks of metal that look like a broken bowling ball.
The museum collections at Fort Stanwix National Monument consist of approximately 500,000 objects.
Native American History
Three Mohawk men stand in the middle of the fort. They are adorned with colorful make-up & clothing.
Many Native Americans lived and died in the vicinity of the Oneida Carry. Discover the stories of the tribes and families of the area.
Stories
A man in an old-style jacket and tricorn hat reads an old sheet of paper that he holds.
Discover the rich history of Fort Stanwix National Monument, from it's time as a military outpost to it's inception as a park.
The American Revolutionary Episodic
A wooden table with a sheet of paper, a quill pen and ink, and a flute of wine.
A blog for those wanting to learn more about the 18th C, interesting incidents of the American Revolution, and those who lived through both.
The Anatomy of a Fort Series
A man in a heavy wool jacket stands with his musket near a sentry box on the fort wall.
Just how was the fort built and what are those pointy things for?
Research
An old map with a fort drawn from above on it and rivers surrounding it.
Fort Stanwix National Monument has a number of research questions that remain unexplored as well as many that are being uncovered.
Preservation
Looking at the stage of a grand, but empty, theater from the aisle.
The NPS preserves cultural resources by conducting archeological investigations, conserving museum objects, and instilling appreciation.
 

Last updated: May 2, 2024

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315-338-7730

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