YOUNGSTOWN, N.Y. (WKBW) — Old Fort Niagara has announced plans to build a replica 18th-century Native American dwelling, which will serve as a Native American Education Center and become a focal point for cultural programming.
Jordan Smith, a member of the Bear Clan of the Mohawk Nation and head of Native Education at Old Fort Niagara, said this is an opportunity to reclaim and retell history.
“A space like this is definitely needed because it gives us an opportunity to tell our perspective of the history that we all learn here,” Smith said. “It gives Indigenous people a chance to share their stories, their crafts, and the knowledge they still carry today.”
WATCH: Old Fort Niagara to build Native American Education Center
While Old Fort Niagara often highlights its military and colonial history, the Fort's executive director, Robert Emerson, said there has never been a physical structure on-site to represent the Native communities that played a vital role throughout the Fort’s past.
The planned structure is a log cabin designed to replicate the housing provided to Native American allies by the British during the American Revolution.
The Fort has already secured $200,000 toward the project and is now launching a public fundraising campaign to raise the final $50,000 needed for construction.
The new structure will be built next to the visitor center and is slated to open in the spring of 2026.
You can find additional information on the project or make a donation on the Old Fort Niagara website here.
