Fort Stanwix National Monument
Why it's listed
Fort Stanwix National Monument occupies 16.2 acres in downtown Rome, New York, where a British fort was built in 1758. The present fort is a full reconstruction finished in 1976, with a second phase in 1978. It has a square layout measuring 220 feet on a side, pentagonal corner bastions, a berm, ditch, parapet and glacis, and five log structures on the parade ground. Because the fort is modern, the nomination treats the site of the original fort as the significant resource. Old Fort Stanwix guarded the Oneida Carrying Place, a key route between Canada and New York, and was the setting for the 1768 treaty in which the Iroquois ceded land east of the Ohio River. Its greatest importance came in August 1777, when a 700-man Continental garrison held out against the western prong of the British invasion, a factor in Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga. Excavations before reconstruction recovered about ten thousand 18th-century artifacts.
Significance in brief: Old Fort Stanwix stood at the Oneida Carrying Place and controlled one of two water routes from Canada to New York. It hosted the 1768 Treaty of Fort Stanwix, in which the Iroquois ceded a vast territory east of the Ohio River. Its 1777 defense by a 700-man American garrison repulsed the western prong of the British invasion and helped lead to Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga.
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 66000057, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Bounded by Dominick, Spring, Liberty, and James Sts., Rome |
|---|---|
| County | Oneida County |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000057 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1758-1781 (original fort); reconstruction 1976-1978 |
| Architect / builder | National Park Service |
| Areas of significance | Military |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated November 23, 1962 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition; a total reconstruction completed in 1976 (Phase 2 in 1978) with selected archeological features preserved. A modern maintenance building is excluded as non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 16.2 |
| Coordinates | 43.21088, -75.45526 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 66000057.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5472096
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.