12 battlefields and military forts in Upstate NY (2024)

Upstate New York has seen its share of military action over the years, and we have the forts and battlefields to show for it. Although there are over 100 notable military sites across Upstate New York, here are a dozen battlefields and forts that are particularly interesting.

Saratoga Battlefield. Oneof America's most hallowed fighting fields, the area now is included in the broader Saratoga National Historical Park in the Town of Stillwater near Saratoga Springs. The center features interactive battle maps plus a 20-minute orientation film which illuminates the events which led up to that fateful engagement in August 1777. Walking maps, brochures and audio applications will aid you on your self-guided tour of the battlegrounds which proved to be the turning point of the American Revolutionary War. The highlight of battlefieldis the monument marking the location where General Benedict Arnold was seriously wounded in the foot. The so called "Boot Monument" doesn't mention Arnold by name, as he would later "turn his coat" and was vilified and shunned by his former American colleagues.

Old Stone Fort. This stoic, graceful landmark in Schoharie, N.Y. -- about 40 miles west of Albany-- was the site of a siege employed by nearly 1,000 loyalists and Native Americans attempting to seize this important fort situated in what Washington called "The Breadbasket of the American Revolution." The siege, in October of 1780, was unsuccessful and the old fort stood. Don't forget to walk around to the back of the building and see the cannon hole where an enemy ball pierced the cornice of the building during the battle.

Oriskany Battlefield. Today, this idyllic park located south of the Mohawk River in Oriskany, N.Y., is dotted with trees, manicured open spaces and neatly trimmed walking paths. The peaceful, bucolic setting belies the site's claim to fame as the "Bloodiest Battle of the American Revolution." General Nicholas Herkimer was leading his patriot army on a march to Fort Stanwix when on August 6, 1777, he was ambushed by a much larger force led by Chief Joseph Brant and Loyalist General John Butler. Local lore has it that the "creek ran red with blood" that day and the villagers were so horrified by the carnage of the battle that many of the dead lay unburied in the woods for years.

Fort Stanwix. This fort, in Rome, N.Y., proudly identifies itself as the place where the "American flag was first flown in battle." According to local legend, on August 3, 1777, the first stars and stripes were created out of "a soldier's white shirt, strips of fabric from a woman's red petticoat and the blue straps from Captain Abraham Swartwout's cloak." A new multi-million dollar visitor's center opened in 2005.

Fort Ontario. This massive British fortis a signature historic feature in the Oswegolandscape. The tours here are fascinating. Ongoing construction and renovation of the star-shaped fort ended in the 1870s. Visitors can wander the parade grounds, the officer's barracks, the fort's walls (which afford a stunning view of Lake Ontario) and two guardhouses. There are also underground tours which allow you to see up close the gunpowder magazine storage area. The tiny, unforgettable Safe Haven Museum just outside the fort's groundstells the harrowing story of the nearly 1,000 European Jewish refugees who came here "as personal guests of President Franklin Roosevelt" to escape the horrors of wartime Europe. Their "internment" here at Fort Ontario marks the only recorded rescue of Jewish refugees during World War II.

Newtown Battlefield. In 1779, the American forces under Generals Sullivan and Clinton undertook a massive and unrelenting offensive against loyalists and their Native American supporters in what many considered a scorched earth campaign of retribution. The only engagement where the two opposing forces met in a pitched battle was here, on this mountaintop in Elmira, N.Y. A towering monument, informational plaques and a large viewing platform over the valley make this a very interesting, yet still little known, Upstate New York battlefield.

Fort Ticonderoga.This is perhaps Upstate's most beautiful fort. Several generations of visitors have come to this naturally awesome place set amidst the tall pines of the Adirondacksjust across the water from Vermont in Ticonderoga, N.Y. Held by the French and the British over the years because of its important location at the southern end of Lake Champlain, the fort is most storied, however, for a surrender. In the early morning hours of May 10, 1775 Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys snuck into the enemy fort while the entire garrison was sleeping. They coerced a surrender from the fort's nightshirt-wearing commander and took control of the fort without firing a shot.

Old Fort Niagara. This ancient fort, located on the eastern bank of the Niagara River in Youngstown, N.Y., has been controlled over the centuries by the French, British, the U.S. Army and the U.S. Coast Guard. It is in a beautiful location and its grounds are meticulously cared for making it a top destination for visitors to the Niagara region. One of the most popular tours of the fort takes place in October. The Haunted Fort Tour is not to be missed, especially when the guide takes you up close to the old stone well where a headless soldier is reportedly waiting restlessly to return.

The Battle of Flockey .This was a small but historically significant battle that took place on a plain just south of Middleburgh, N.Y. in Schoharie County. With a large contingent of about 300 British and loyalists laying siege to local forts, young Col. John Harper made a mad dash through enemy lines and rode all the way to Albany to summon more American troops. In short order, Harper and his Light Horse Brigade arrived back in Schoharie and engaged the enemy on a small, wet flood plain known to the Germanic settlers as "Die Flache" (the plain). Harper led his men directly into the enemy formation and drove them off. This small battlefield (later Americanized as the Battle of the Flockey) and the skirmish that took place here has gone down in military history books as the very first cavalry charge of the U.S. Army.

Madison Barracks. Although not a fort in the traditional sense of the word, the Madison Barracks in Sackets Harbor in the North Countryis truly a remarkable place with a great bloodline that runs deep through America's military history. This sprawling military installation was built following the War of 1812 to protect America's northern border and named after President James Madison who actually came here to visit "his fort." The buildings are constructed out of native limestone and they have withstood the test of time in good fashion. There is a large parade ground and several buildings which date back to the camp's beginning. President U.S. Grant served here as a young 2nd lieutenant. Today his barracks are marked with a plaque in his honor.

Fort William Henry.This British fortis located at the southern end of tourist-friendly Lake George. Although this is in fact a replicated version of the actual fort (it was built in the 1950s) it is still a very popular place for families and school groups who are seeking a little history with their vacation fun. Thousands visit the fort each summer to witness battle re-enactments, tour the many public rooms of the fort and to visit with the army of costumed docents who spin tales of Colonial America to anyone who will listen.

Bennington Battlefield.This Rensselaer County battlefield is the site of a great American victory in the Revolutionary War. The British were on the march to Bennington, Vermont, to capture much needed stocks, supplies, cattle and munitions, but it was not meant to be. General John Stark and Colonel Seth Warner led the Americans to victory over a much larger enemy force led by General John Burgoyne. The Americans inflicted massive casualties on the British force and the battle was a key component in the enemy's defeat at Saratoga several months later.