To Answer the Purpose of a Fort, Just as Well: The Construction of Old Fort Niagara’s French Castle in 1726

Join the Niagara History Center at the Historic Palace Theater for an engaging lecture to learn about the fascinating history of Old Fort Niagara. Delivered by the site’s own Executive Director, Robert Emerson, you will explore the beginnings of what is known today as the French Castle, the oldest building in the Great Lakes Basin. The Castle was established in 1726 and observes its 300^th birthday this year. During the lecture, learn about negotiations between the French and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy that obtained dubious permission to construct the building, and meet  leading players in the building’s construction including chief engineer Gaspard-Joseph Chaussegros De Lery and Captain Charles Le Moyne de Longueuil who served as Fort Niagara’s first commandant.