History of Oswego

Oswego is important for a variety of reasons such as being the site for Fort Oswego and Fort Ontario; being the world port for cement, salt, potash, wood pulp, limestone, aluminum ingots, and grains in 1959; providing electric-power generation for upstate New York; and being the birthplace of State University of New York College at Oswego in 1861. Oswego is a port city in north-central New York which lies along Lake Ontario at the mouth of the Oswego River, 35 miles northwest of Syracuse. The name derives from the Iroquoian Indian word "osh-we-geh", meaning ‘pouring-out place’ or in other words 'a river's mouth'. The Iroquois Indians were the first one's to settle in Oswego. There are street names that are named after the Mohawk, Onondaga, Huron Seneca, Oneida, and Cayuga Indian tribes.

Oswego was first discovered by non-native French Jesuits in 1654. Almost a century later, in 1727, the English built a fort on the west bank of Oswego River. The French wanted to get rid of this fort but did not follow through with their plans. Before the Old French War started in 1753, Fort Ontario was erected, and another fort was built in 1755. After the Fort Ontario was attacked on August 11, the fort surrendered to the French General Montcalm in 1758. English Colonial Bradstreet demolished the fort with his cavalry of 3,350 menand expanded fort Ontario. During 1760, Oswego was the most important military station in the west during the revolution.

Oswego has been faced with many tragedies. On July 30, 1850, a raging fire destroyed $90,000 work of property which is equivalent to $2,828,307.69 in 2017. The fire started in a large building at the end of Bridge street, crossed Bridge street, and burned down the block between the river and First street. Another fire occurred in 1853 which engulfed the east side of Oswego. This fire started at Fitzhugh flouring mill and extended to the north of Bridge street. There was a third fire in 1858 destroying what was known as the empire elevator, and Ontario elevator. The fourth and most devastating fire occurred in 1892 destroying several mills and elevators.

Fort Ontario also acted as a temporary haven for refugees. President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave an executive order that was effective from 1944-1946 for Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Oswego was one of the few refugee havens in the United States at the time.

Sources

Britannica, T. E. (2011, October 26). Oswego. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/place/Oswego-New-York

Colasurdo, M. J. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.oswego-history.com/

Inflation Rate between 1850-2017 | Inflation Calculator. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.officialdata.org/1850-dollars-in-2017?amount=90000

White, J. D. (n.d.). History of Oswego County | Visit Oswego County. Retrieved from http://visitoswegocounty.com/historical-info/history-of-oswego-county/