Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) has reintroduced a bill to establish Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York, as a National Monument under the National Park System. The legislation, known as the Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park Establishment Act, seeks to preserve the site’s rich and varied history.
The current Fort Ontario structure is the fourth version, built atop earlier fortifications that played key roles in both the French and Indian War and the War of 1812. From 1944 to 1946, it became the nation’s only refuge for nearly 1,000 Jewish Holocaust survivors under the U.S. Army’s “Safe Haven” program, offering shelter to those who had escaped Nazi persecution.
“We must ensure that the historic importance of Fort Ontario is properly honored and preserved for future generations,” Tenney said in a statement. She emphasized the site’s legacy as both a critical military post and a sanctuary for Holocaust survivors, underscoring the need for its formal recognition as a national monument.
The bill aims to protect the fort’s historical significance and promote awareness of its role in U.S. history. If passed, Fort Ontario will join the ranks of other National Park sites dedicated to preserving and commemorating America’s past.
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