Fort Stanwix National Monument Highpoint Trip Report

Date: July 18, 2014
Author: Fred Lobdell

Fort Stanwix lies on the east side of NY Route 26 on the southeastern side of Rome, NY. It is approached from the westbound NY Thruway (I-90) by getting off at Exit 31 (mile 233), going a short distance north on NY 8 & 12 to NY 49, and turning left on 49. Take the latter northwest into Rome and turn right onto NY 26, which will take you past the fort.

From the eastbound Thruway, get off at Exit 33 (mile 253) and take NY 365 northeast to Rome, turning left on NY 26. The fort will be obvious on the east side of NY 26. Street parking is legal alongside most of 26 on the west side of the fort, or you can do as Adam Helman did and park in the bank parking lot on the west side of 26 directly opposite the fort.

Like Adam, I walked the high ground completely around the fort. None of it appeared to be a natural surface, and it may well be that none of the ground within the monument boundaries is a natural surface. The closest I could come to what I thought might be natural was a small area containing trees and shrubs just north of the visitor's center, or possibly a row of trees on slightly higher ground along the sidewalk on the east side of the street.

But I harbor considerable doubt as to whether any of this is natural. There used to be high ground where the bank now sits, and that is where British Col. Barry St. Leger placed his artillery in his unsuccessful attempt to reduce the fort in 1777.