Fall at Historic Fort Steuben is a great time to visit. The trees are changing, there is a crispness in the air, and the past seems to be closer than ever. This certainly was the experience of the men who came to this site 238 years ago. Three companies of soldiers with the First American Regiment arrived here in the fall of 1786 with the work of building their blockhouses, palisades, and the other buildings associated with the complex. Work began at once to clear trees and ready the site. According to Dr. John Holmes in his book, The Story of Historic Fort Steuben “In two and a half days, about midday October 30, three blockhouses were ready for their roofs and chimneys….By the night of November 2, the men moved into what would be their home for the next seven months.” The soldiers were living and working at Fort Steuben from November on.
Visiting today you can get a sense of how the first American regiment and the surveyors, whose mission it was to map out the seven ranges, spent their time here in the fall of 1786. A visit to the fort is a trip back in time. Your first stop is the Visitor Center to get a self-guided tour and to visit the exhibit hall filled with a collection of Native American artifacts from the area, and other important objects. Heading out to the Fort, be sure to stop in all the buildings to learn how they were used at the time the site was occupied. A visit to the surveyor’s museum brings it all together with an overview of the importance of the survey and its impact on the site.
Rounding out your visit, be sure to stop at the museum shop in the Visitor Center. There are so many books on the history of the region and the period in which the fort existed. Get a jump on your Christmas shopping too, with our unique selections. Fall is a good time to visit, so stop by and say hello!
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