On Wednesday in Washington, D.C., Congresswoman Claudia Tenney reintroduced the Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park Establishment Act to designate the Fort Ontario National Monument in Oswego as part of the National Park System.
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand are reintroducing the bipartisan Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park Establishment Act in the Senate.
The current Fort Ontario State Historic Site is the fourth iteration, constructed on the remnants of three earlier fortifications that played roles in the French and Indian War and the War of 1812. From 1944 to 1946, while under U.S. Army control, the fort became the nation’s only refugee camp for 982 Jewish Holocaust survivors. Known as “Safe Haven,” it provided essential aid and refuge to those escaping Nazi persecution in Europe.
“We must ensure that the historic importance of Fort Ontario is properly honored and preserved for future generations. Once an important site in the battles of the French and Indian War and the War of 1812, as well as a refugee camp for Holocaust survivors, it is crucial that we secure the recognition this significant historic site truly deserves. The Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park Establishment Act aims to safeguard this monument’s profound legacy for years to come and solidify its status as a National Monument,” said Congresswoman Tenney.
Last August, Congresswoman Tenney held a Vietnam War Commemorative Pinning Ceremony at Fort Ontario
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