Fort Niagara State Park is located in the Town of Porter in Niagara County, New York, United States. Historic Fort Niagara is located within the park. The

  • 1678: Fort Conti is built by French explorers (which burned to the ground less than a year later)
  • 1687: Fort Denonville on the former site of Fort Conti
  • 1726: The French built the two-story “Maison a Machicoulis” (referred to today as the “French Castle”).
  • 1893: A US Coast Guard Station was established on the bank of the Niagara below the Fort which is still in service today
  • 1938: The Officer’s Club building opens, replacing the original structure that was destroyed by fire. The design is inspired by the French Castle in the Old Fort
  • 1940–1943: The 28th Infantry Regiment was moved south to train and Fort Niagara then served as a reception center for new recruits
  • 1941: The Fort was granted from the State of New York to the United States.
  • 1944–1946: Fort Niagara served as a camp for German prisoners of war
  • 1948: Land transferred to the jurisdiction of the New York State Council of Parks to be managed as a state park.

During the summer, a state park naturalist provides nature programs, trail hikes and manages the natural history exhibits in the park's nature center.

The skyline of Toronto, to the north, is visible across Lake Ontario from the park on days with clear weather. The tops of the CN Tower and other skyscrapers can be seen, though the Canadian shore itself is hidden below the horizon.

1872 lighthouse

The current lighthouse in Fort Niagara State Park, constructed in 1872, is the third to be built at Fort Niagara. It was constructed by the United States government after the previous wooden one was damaged by a tornado. It is an octagonal limestone tower featuring a storage room at the base, that used to hold oil. The Fresnel lens from the old tower was used and the tower was lit for the first time on June 10, 1872.

See also

  • List of New York state parks

References

  • New York State Parks: Fort Niagara State Park
  • "The FORT of FOUR Nations" Popular Mechanics, December 1934, pp.867-869