Fort Brewerton
Why it's listed
Fort Brewerton was a British military post on the Oneida River near the western end of Oneida Lake, built in the fall of 1759 during the French and Indian War. It was an eight-pointed star of earth walls and log palisades, with four blockhouses, storage buildings, wells and a moat. Soldiers from Fort Ontario and Fort Stanwix built it to guard the water route between those two posts. The fort was named for Captain George Brewerton Jr. It served as a supply depot and shelter for troops and was never attacked. After the war it was largely abandoned, briefly reoccupied in 1763 during Pontiac's War, and dismantled by about 1764. It later served as a trading post. Today the one-acre grassy site shows only faint traces of the ditch and parapet, marked by maples planted before 1906. Relic hunters looted it in the 1800s, and a small excavation took place in 1965-66. The State of New York bought the land in 1906 and maintains it.
Significance in brief: The site represents the importance of the Mohawk-Oneida-Oswego waterways linking Albany and Fort Ontario during the French and Indian War. It is regarded as an archeological site likely holding Indian artifacts and items from its fort and later trading post use. Its abandonment in the 1760s illustrates that the French no longer threatened British dominance in North America.
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 73001247, listed March 7, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | State and Lansing Sts., Brewerton |
|---|---|
| County | Oswego County |
| Listed | March 7, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001247 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1759-1764 |
| Architect / builder | Built by detachments of soldiers from Fort Ontario and Fort Stanwix; plans ordered by General Amherst from Lt. Col. James Montresor, Director of Engineers |
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Military |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition fair and altered; only faint earthwork outlines remain. Maintained by the State of New York as a State Historic Site, with a flag pole and commemorative stone gates. |
| Coordinates | 43.24219, -76.14116 (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 73001247.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5470850
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.