Fort Schlosser

Fort Schlosser. Guarding the Upper Landing. Great Lakes Seaway Trail. New York State French and Indian War Commemoration 250 years. , Securing Military and Commercial Goods. , Fort Schlosser was built to protect the upper portage landing and was used as a storehouse for military and commercial goods, facilitating the supply of western outposts., The importance of securing this strategic area was recognized by early explorers and the French army as well. The landing was fortified by the French prior to the war, but they burned their own fort to prevent it from being used by the British when they left to help defend Fort Niagara from a British assault., LOWER LANDING , Goods and boats had to be carried from here up the 310 foot vertical rise to the upper landing. , UPPER LANDING , Boats landed and departed from this point before entering the rapids above the falls. , FORT LITTLE NIAGARA , Fort Little Niagara (Fort du Portage) was built by French officer and merchant Daniel-Marie Chabert de Joncaire to prevent western American Indians from slipping past Fort Niagara to trade with the British as Fort Oswego. , FORT SCHLOSSER , 1760-1763. Fort Schlosser was the name given to the fortification when the British it in 1760. It was rebuilt in 1763. It was named after Captain John Joseph Schlosser, an officer in the 60th Regiment of Foot (or Royal American Regiment), commander and builder of the post. , ALTERATIONS , This rough plan for rebuilding the fort was found in the papers of Major Jeffery Amherst, British Commander-in-Chief in North America. The artist's rendering above is based on this plan. , GATEWAY TO THE INTERIOR , The Niagara corridor was the gateway into the interior of North America, but Niagara Falls presented a major obstacle. All travelers and goods going to or coming from the Ohio Valley had to land or depart from here for the overland bypass (portage) around the Falls to enter either Lakes Erie or Ontario. , PORTAGE TIMELINE , 1763 British rebuild Fort Schlosser. , 1760 British occupy the landing and build a new fort they call Fort Schlosser. , 1759 French forces abandon and burn Fort Little Niagara (Fort du Portage). , 1751 French build Fort Little Niagara (Fort du Portage), just downriver from here. , 1726 French build Fort Niagara and occupy the portage route. , 1720 Joncaire builds a trading post at the lower landing. , 1679 French explorer La Salle establishes early French claims to the region. , 1650 American Indians use the portage route, the Seneca tribe controls the area. French and Indian War. Troops carrying supplies walked this section of the Seaway Trail., Seaway Trail, Inc. Corner Ray and West Mail St., Sackets Harbor, NY 13685. www.seawaytrail.com . This project was funded in part by the Federal Highway Administration and administered by the New York State Scenic Byways Program of the New York State Department of Transportation and Seaway Trail, Inc.