Fort Brown Site
Why it's listed
Fort Brown is the surviving earthwork of a fort built in the summer of 1814 on a wedge-shaped parcel of about 2.85 acres beside a sharp bend in the Saranac River in Plattsburgh, New York. Major General George Izard had it raised as one of three forts across the southern land approach to Plattsburgh, as British forces threatened from Lake Champlain. It was the westernmost of the redoubts, with Forts Moreau and Scott to its east. An 1815 map shows it as an irregular five-sided earthwork with small bastions and gun emplacements. The other works were later leveled, but this parcel fell into disuse and is now owned by the city and maintained in a natural state. No systematic excavation has taken place, though informal probing has left depressions. The site is considered important for its link to the Battle of Plattsburgh of September 1814 and for its research potential, particularly on illicit trade with British forces in Canada during the War of 1812.
Significance in brief: Fort Brown was one of the defensive works built under General George Izard before the September 1814 Battle of Plattsburgh, which the nomination describes as decisive in the War of 1812. The site has never been systematically excavated and could yield evidence on illicit wartime trade across the northern frontier, such as British coin or goods found at the fort.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 78001846, listed December 15, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Northwest of the intersection of Elizabeth St. and State Route 9, Plattsburgh |
|---|---|
| County | Clinton County |
| Listed | December 15, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78001846 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Military |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | City-owned and kept in a natural, undeveloped state as a historic monument; remains are ruins, and unrecorded probing has occurred with unknown effect on integrity. |
| Acreage | 2.9 |
| Coordinates | 44.68873, -73.44980 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 78001846.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5470860
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.