Park Description
Visit Fort Stanwix, where our shared heritage comes alive everyday, and explore the sights, sounds, smells and feel of the 18th century. Discover how people endured harsh lives along the Oneida Carrying Place, the superhighway of the 18th century, and directly contributed to the American victory at Saratoga and westward expansion through New York ’s gateway to the west.
Visit the new Marinus Willett Collections Management and Education Center with exhibits that explore the story of Fort Stanwix and the Mohawk Valley through the eyes of the people who lived in New York during the American Revolutionary War.
Park Mission
Our mission is to preserve the location, resources and stories associated with the military, political, and cultural events that occurred at the site of Fort Stanwix and to provide opportunities for visitor understanding and appreciation of these events.
Park Priorities
Willett Center – The Willett Center will provide visitor education and interpretive activities as well as museum collections space for over 400,000 museum artifacts. Construction will began in March 2004, with opening in July 2005.
Reduce Deferred Maintenance of Fort Structures - Complete the rehabilitation of the southwest casemate from staff offices into an 18th Century artisan area; complete repair of the leaking interior concrete walls through the installation of air circulators to limit condensation; replace rotted timbers from bridge; rehabilitate east casemate to improve working conditions; implement energy efficiency measures recommended in 2003 energy audit; and complete water sealant (oakum) project for exterior walls.
Enhance and Diversify Programs – Build upon new programs such as “Saturday Fun at the Fort” and continue to support community special events such as “Honor America Days”.
Strengthen Marketing Efforts – Increase visitation to the fort by to strengthening relationship with tourism partners such as “I Love NY”, Oneida County Visitor and Convention Bureau, the Oneida Indian Nation, the Mohawk Valley Heritage Corridor and other NPS units in Upstate New York.
Complete New Exhibit on NYS Thruway – Complete the “History Happened Here” exhibit on the NYS Thruway at the Oneida rest area (exit 32).
Strengthen Education Partnerships – Continue to establish partnerships with local school districts to increase the use of Fort Stanwix. Collaborate with teachers on curriculum development and provide teacher training opportunities through the “Private Yankee Doodle” Teacher Institute in April as well as opportunities for life-long learners through the Mohawk Valley Learning in Retirement program.
Landscape Treatment Plan – Developed in partnership with SUNY-School of Environmental Science and Forestry, this project will develop a landscape plan that provides treatment recommendations for future design and management of the fort’s property as well as adjacent streetscapes and trailways
General (Strategic) Management Plan – Complete this document that defines the vision of Fort Stanwix National Monument and incorporates the findings of the business plan (completed in 2002).
Administrative History – Complete and make available the findings of the Administrative History. This document will provide a comprehensive account of the establishment of Fort Stanwix National Monument and its management to the present and will be available for sale.
Park Legislation
Be it enacted in the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that when title to the site or portion therof at Fort Stanwix, in the State of New York…shall have been vested in the United States, said area and improvements, if any, shall be designated and set apart by proclamation of the President for the preservation as a national monument for the benefit and inspiration of the people and shall be called the Fort Stanwix National Monument.
August 21, 1935
Museum Collections
Collection Summary
Military arms and accoutrements; clothing, hardware, utensils, Indian artifacts, furniture and furnishings from the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War periods; 18th century manuscript collection; archeological objects and associated field records relating to the 18th century fort occupation (c. 1758-1781) and to the City of Rome, N.Y. (c. 1796-1970).
Collection Size
476,211
Facilities Exhibiting Museum Items
Marinus Willett Collections and Education Center
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