Historical Development of the Fort
Fort Niagara, 1762
- 30 "The Great House" (French Castle), 1726
- 31b Bakehouse, 1762
- 34b Provisions Storehouse, 1762
- 35 Powder Magazine, 1757
- 408b Officers' Quarters, pre-1755 or 1757-59
- 417b Barracks, 1755-56 or 1756-57
- 420 Guardhouse, 1756
- 422 Ordnance Storehouse, 1757
- 425 Gunshed, 1757
- 426 Storehouse, 1757
- 427a Barracks, 1757
- 428a Barracks, 1757
- 429a Barracks, 1757
- 430 Blacksmith Shop, 1757
- 431 Chapel, 1757
The British capture of Fort Niagara initially had little impact on its appearance. Aside from repairing the ravages of the nineteen-day siege, the British would not significantly alter the post until 1761-62. Despite the surrender of New France in September 1760, war between Britain and France still raged around the globe. Much effort was thus expended to keep Fort Niagara's elaborate earthen defenses in repair. Lieutenant Colonel William Farquhar, first commandment of the new regime, was also the first of may British officers to comment on the difficulty of maintaining the sodded earthworks. He recommended that they be "revetted with stone, and Brick, as our Enemys for certain intended." The great expense of such an improvement prevented this being accomplished. Additional troops-three hundred provincial soldiers from New Jersey - were sent to assist in repairing the defenses during the summer of 762. Their labor ensured that the earthworks would remain strong - at least temporarily.
The violent attacks of Lake Ontario were also countered. Following massive erosion during 1759-60, garrison engineer Lieutenant George Demler began to experiment with techniques for alleviating the problem. In 1761 he designed a rubble filled, timber crib breakwall which, by the end of 1762, extended along the lake side of the fort and around the point to the landing place on the river. This structure would effectively hold back the waves until 1779.
This plan is based on George Demler's "Plan of Niagara with its out Works and Buildings", a small inset to his "Plan of a Survey from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie" prepared about December 1762. It shows additional open space in the interior of Fort Niagara. Several of the wooden buildings which had faced the "Castle" across the parade of the old stockade fort had been demolished or moved before the1759 siege. On June 25, 1762, a fire swept the old French bakehouse (31a) and also destroyed "three or four Hutts" (probably 405, 407 and 410a). The provincial labor available in 1762 allowed several other useful projects to be accomplished, including the addition of some permanent masonry structures - a new bakehouse (31b) and provisions storehouse (34b) - both of which still exist in altered form. Demler also depicted his seawall. Not visible is a massive subterranean masonary storm sewer designed to drain the remnants of the old gully and allow continued filling and levelling of the new parade. This drain is still in use. Although not shown on Demler's plan, the soldiers' privies were probably still located on the lake side near the outlet of the drain.