Madison Barracks (Sackets Harbor, New York)
Sackets Harbor · New York · War of 1812
History & Significance
Fort Pike, originally named Fort Volunteer, was built in 1813 to defend Sackets Harbor's naval ship-building activities from British attack during the War of 1812. Volunteer and Pike became the nucleus of Madison Barracks.
In 1815, five companies of the Second Infantry Regiment arrived at Sackets Harbor and began construction of Madison Barracks; President James Monroe came to observe the progress. Initially occupied in 1816 with barracks completed in 1819 and named for President Madison.
Barracks and officers' quarters were built around a square parade ground beginning in 1816 on Black River Bay, the eastern anchor of the Sackets Harbor defensive line. On its completion, Madison Barracks was considered one of the nation's best military posts and a key to America's northern defense.
In 1848, future General Ulysses S. Grant arrived as a 2nd Lieutenant and was remembered as generally withdrawn, except for when he raced his horse to Watertown most Saturday evenings to play checkers. A devastating fire in 1879 destroyed a portion of Stone Row, the original officers' quarters, and other buildings.
The post was enlarged in 1892 with the addition of the Polo Ground and several more buildings were constructed. Madison Barracks was finally closed in 1947 and operations moved to Camp Drum, which later became Fort Drum. The facility is a National Historic Landmark and historic district with 86 contributing buildings and two contributing structures.
Key Facts
Map
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Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison_Barracks
- https://museum.dmna.ny.gov/forts/madison-barracks
- https://www.northamericanforts.com/East/New_York/Madison_Barracks/Madison_Historic.html
- https://madisonbarracks.com/historical-madison-barracks/
- https://sacketsharbor-ny.gov/fort-pike-park/
- https://memoryln.net/places/united-states/new-york/sackets-harbor/landmark/madison-barracks-sackets-harbor/
- https://www.fortwiki.com/Madison_Barracks
- https://discoverupstateny.com/madison-barracks/