Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Relive more than 300 years of history at Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown.
The most impressive building within the fort is the French Castle. The French built
this two-story structure in 1726, cleverly disguising a functional garrison as a trading post.
The castle housed officers' quarters, soldiers' barracks, a chapel, and jail cells. Next to the
French Castle is the Bake House, which is essentially two giant stone ovens and dates back
to 1756. The cooks would build a fire inside the oven, then let it burn until a few embers
remained. Then they swept the embers from the oven and placed bread inside to be cooked
by the stored heat.
Make a stop at the Powder Magazine to see where the fort's ammunition was stored.
Built in 1757, this thick masonry building was designed to withstand hits from cannon fire
withoutexploding.Todayithasbeenrestoredsovisitorscanappreciatethelengthstowhich
armies went to their powder safe and dry. As you walk the perimeter of the fort, imagine
the strategic importance of this facility, guarding the mouth of the Niagara River and gate-
way to the New World. The view of Lake Ontario is stunning—on clear days, you can see
Toronto on the northern shore.
