Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

Fort Ontario State Historic Site

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Address
1 East Fourth Street
Oswego, NY 13126
Latitude 43.463432
Longitude -76.507027

Know Before You Go...

More Info

Pet Policy

Dogs on leashes are permitted on the premises.

Visitors to Fort Ontario State Historic Site today will see the star-shaped fort dating to the early 1840's with 1863 to 1872 improvements. There are two guardhouses, a powder magazine, a storehouse, enlisted men's barracks, an Army office building, an unfurnished officer's quarters, videos, exhibits and windswept ramparts featuring magnificent views of Lake Ontario and underground stone casemates and galleries to tour.

The fourth and current Fort Ontario is built on the ruins of three earlier fortifications which were the site of three French and Indian War and two War of 1812 battles.  It was occupied by the U.S. Army through World War II.  From 1944 to 1946 the fort served as the only refugee camp in the United States for mostly Jewish victims of the Nazi Holocaust under an Executive Order from President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  A post cemetery containing the graves of 77 officers, soldiers, women, and children who served at Fort Ontario in war and peace is situated on the grounds which are open year-round from dawn to dusk.

In 1946 Fort Ontario was transferred to the State of New York and housed World War II veterans and their families until 1953.  It opened as a state historic site in 1949.


Dogs on leashes are permitted on the premises.

Hours of Operation

  • Fort Ontario will reopen for the season Wednesday May 14, 2025.

    May 14, 2025 - October 13, 2025
    Wednesday- Saturday 10:00am – 4:30pm
    Sundays 12:00pm – 4:30pm
    Closed Monday & Tuesday
    Open Monday Holidays

Fees & Rates

 A list of entry fees and other park use fees is available below. For fees not listed or to verify information, please contact the park directly.

  • Admission
  • $4 Adults
    $3 Seniors/Students
    $2 per person, group - adults
    $1 per person, group - students
    Children 12 and under Free
  • Day use/Picnicking
  • Free
Thu 12 Jun
Saturday and Sunday Civil War Garrison Weekend
Thursday, June 12, 2025 until Friday, June 13, 2025 10:00 AM - 04:30 PM
Fort Ontario State Historic Site
The 140th New York Volunteers will host a Civil War Garrison Weekend including tactical demonstrations, food, solider and civilian life during the war and more.
Sat 14 Jun
250th Anniversary of the United States Army
Saturday, June 14, 2025 10:00 AM - 03:30 PM
Fort Ontario State Historic Site
Join the Syracuse Recruiting Battalion at Fort Ontario State Historic Site to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States Army. Lawn games, food trucks, historic military vehicles, a revolutionary war encampment and timeline of uniforms and equipment of the U.S. Army will all be on display throughout the day.
Sat 21 Jun
250th Haudenosaunee Conference Commemoration
Saturday, June 21, 2025 10:00 AM - 04:30 PM
Fort Ontario State Historic Site
In conjunction with Ganodagan State Historic Site, Fort Ontario will commemorate the 1775 Haudenosaunee Conference that took place at the site in an attempt to sway the confederacy to join the British cause. Featured lecture by Maeve Kane, Professor in the Department of History at the University at Albany, State University of New York, on her recent book Shirts Powdered Red: Haudenosaunee Gender, Trade, and Exchange Across Three Centuries. Additional Haudenosaunee cultural programing and living history happening throughout the day.
Mon 30 Jun
Syracuse Orchestra FREE Outdoor Concert
Monday, June 30, 2025 07:00 PM - 08:00 PM
Fort Ontario State Historic Site
Join the Syracuse Orchestra for a free concert on the parage ground of Fort Ontario State Historic Site.

Amenities Information

  • Amenities
  • Demonstrations
  • Picnic Area
  • Re-enactments
  • Tours
  • Visitor Center (Accessible)