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Description:
Built in 1758 to guard a strategic portage along a major transportation route, Fort Stanwix stands today as an inspiration to the people of the world. Fort Stanwix guarded the centuries old Oneida Carrying Place. This strategic Iroquois Confederacy portage in upstate New York bridged the waterways between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes. The events that occurred at the site included the development of European and later American-Indian affairs, the melding of diverse cultures, and the protection of the Mohawk Valley during two world wars: the French and Indian, and the American Revolutionary Wars. During the American Revolution, British military forces were repulsed while attempting to besiege the fort. American militia and Oneida allies tried to come to the aid of Fort Stanwix, but were cut off in an ambush at Oriskany, considered one of the bloodiest engagements of the war. These events directly contributed to the American victory at Saratoga. Fort Stanwix is also a site where Americans developed their own sense of Indian Affairs. Several treaties were negotiated at the site, setting precedents for future Indian and American treaties and relationships. Fort Stanwix National Monument maintains an extensive archaeological collection and a nearly complete reconstruction of the fort. Directions:
Plane - The nearest airport is Oneida County Airport, 8 miles south of Rome.
Car - All major state routes thru Rome; 26, 46, 49, 69, and 365, pass within sight of the Monument. To get to Rome from the New York Thruway, take exit 32 at Westmoreland to Rt. 233 north to Rt. 365 west, following the signs to downtown Rome. City parking is available within sight of the Monument.
Public Transportation - A bus terminal is within two blocks of the site on Liberty Street. There is an Amtrak railroad station located within one mile of the site at Lawrence Street and Route 233.
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