Well, it’s not a castle, but this 1726 building in Old Fort Niagara has earned the moniker “The French Castle.” Constructed as part of the second fortifications at the mouth of the Niagara, the French first came to the region in 1678. However, the site was abandoned due to illness and a lack of supplies. The current fortifications on the site date to 1726 and have remained occupied. The British took the fort in a siege in 1759 during the French-Indian War (Seven Years War); it remained a British stronghold through the American Revolution but was turned over to the Americans in 1796. Captured again by the British in a surprise attack in 1813 in response to the American Burning of what is today Niagara-On-The-Lake. It was again returned to the Americans following the war. The site is unique because it blends the style and construction of three eras, from the early 18th Century French, late 18th British, and Late 19th American. The fort and grounds around it have seen all the major conflicts that came to North America, and today stands as the longest continually occupied Military post in North America; At the same time, the Army occupation ended after the Korean Conflict, and the US Coast Guard maintained a detachment. Every Labour Day, the fort holds its annual War of 1812 Garrison, an event I’ve had the pleasure of attending twice, which honours the 1813 capture of the fort (which happened in December, but no one wants to camp/reenact at that time of year, although we did do it once last year, to the day and even to the hour)
Pacemaker Crown Graphic – Schneider-Kreuznack Angulon 1:6,8/90 – Kodak Tri-X Pan (320TXP)
Meter: Pentax Spotmeter V
1/2″ – f/32 – ASA-250
Kodak Xtol (1+1) 7:45 @ 20C