What Sackets Harbor is known for

Sackets Harbor, located in Jefferson County, New York, was named after Augustus Sackett who was the village's founder. The center of Sackets Harbor holds Main Street, which has a number of maintained 19th-century buildings. It has been recognized as the Sackets Harbor Village Historic District. In 1983 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[10]

During the War of 1812, a shipyard was built at Sackets Harbor to support the war. For a time, more than 3,000 men worked at the shipyard. Forts and barracks were built to defend the village and shipyard from the opposing forces. Because of the abundance of military personnel, Sackets Harbor was the third most populated city in the state after Albany and New York City. Sackets Harbor continued to have military importance throughout the 19th century. Since then, Sackets Harbor has acted as a home to various shipyards and businesses.[10]

Within the Sackets Harbor Destination are multiple cities, forests, and wildernesses. A part of Lake Ontario is also located within the region. Because of this, there are a variety of things to do. Within the town of Sackets Harbor visitors may have the opportunity to see the Sackets Harbor Battlefield, which is a State Historic Site. Main Street, the Tin Pan Gallery, the Sackets Harbor Brewing Company, and 1812 Weekend are other venues in the area.[5]

Near Sackets Harbor is Westcott Beach State Park, the Yellow Barn Winery, and Old McDonald's Farm. At Westcott Beach, water activities such as swimming and building sandcastles are options for the beach's visitors. The Yellow Barn Winery has a tasting room that offers a variety of drinks for adults to taste. At Old McDonald's Farm, there are multiple interactive activities (some of which are ones that involve animals) that are typically family-friendly.[5]

With a population of about 1,322 people, Sackets Harbor is on the smaller side.[4] In the nearby city of Watertown, the population is around 23,323 people.[9] Activities that can be done in Watertown include things like visiting Burrville Cider Mill and Public Square. One of the more popular things to do in Watertown is to go to the New York State Zoo at Thompson Park. Various types of animals are held within the zoo, along with a Butterfly House and Olmsted Pond.[6]

In Watertown there are two popular monuments; the Soldiers and Sailors Civil War Monument and the Honor the Mountain Monument. The Soldiers and Sailor Civil War Monument was built in 1891 to honor the residents in the county that fought in the Civil War. The Honor the Mountain Monument is located in Tower Square. It was built on July 1st of 2016 to act as a statement by the community to thank the soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division and their families. Since 1985, the 10th Mountain Division has been the United States Army's most deployed unit.[6]

Geography

The Sackets Harbor Destination is located in the state of New York. The western side of the region goes along the border between New York and Ontario, which is a territory in Canada. The rest of the district wraps around multiple cities, some of which are Oswego, Fulton, Oneida, Utica, Star Lake, and Hammond. The Five Ponds Wilderness, Independence River Wild Forest, Black River Wild Forest, and Ferries Lake Wild Forest are within the borders of the Sackets Harbor Destination, along with lakes, rivers, and a portion of Lake Ontario. The general topography of the area is relatively flat with many forests and lakes. Instead of having deserts or mountains, the region has greenery and hills. There are some areas of the region with fields.

The weather in Sackets Harbor doesn't fluctuate majorly throughout the year and instead stays within a relatively small scale. The average low temperature is around 19 degrees Fahrenheit, while the average high temperature is about 71 degrees Fahrenheit. Sackets Harbor receives rain throughout the year, specifically in October. Snow falls occasionally, but hardly ever sticks to the ground. The area is not very humid, but is the most humid in the month of June. The most popular time to visit Sackets Harbor is during the summer months, specifically August. For weather purposes, the best time to visit Sackets Harbor is from the middle of May to the beginning of October.[7]

A variety of plants and animals inhabit the Sackets Harbor Destination, some of which are common while others are relatively rare. Animals in Sackets Harbor include white-tailed deer, groundhogs, red foxes, American beavers, striped skunks, coyotes, North American porcupines, bobcats, American stoats, American martens, and masked shrews. Plants that are typically found in the area are white snake roots, garlic mustard, American pokeweed, common reed, sensitive ferns, chicories, ghost pipes, red clovers, Christmas ferns, wineberries, Canada mayflowers, and black cherries.[8]

History

Most of the Sackets Harbor Destination was inhabited by indigenous peoples before the area became a part of New York. There were different tribes and cultures, the most popular or well known in the area being the Onondaga, who was a part of the Iroquois Confederacy. For years they traded with the French and English. During the Revolution, the tribes sided with the British in an attempt to drive the Americans from their land. After the war, many of these tribes were pushed from their homes and the land was given to the American colonists. Many of the members of the Iroquois Confederacy moved to Canada.[1] 

Sackets Harbor, the city that the Sackets Harbor Destination is named after, was founded in 1801 by a man named Augustus Sackett, who was from New York City. He, along with a few others, hoped to trade with Canada across Lake Ontario. People came to the area from Great Britain, France, and New England. The forests near Lake Ontario were cut down to make room for towns and cities. Sackets Harbor became an official village in 1814.[1] 

In 1813, war broke out between the United States and Britain. Both sides began to build naval forces near the Great Lakes, which were vital highways at the time. Neither side wanted to risk a decisive battle, so the war consisted mostly of raids and skirmishes. During the war, the Americans attempted to break the stalemate by invading a British shipyard that was located in York, which is today's Toronto. Because of this, the British decided to attack Sackets Harbor. When a large number of America's troops left Sackets Harbor to raid the British, Sackets Harbor became more vulnerable. The Americans had expected the British to attack and had prepared in advance for the raid. The British did not have heavy gunfire to face the Americans, and as a result, they were forced to retreat back to the boats.[2]

Soon after Sackets Harbor became a village in 1814, the First Battle of Sackets Harbor started. Five marine ships threatened the town but were driven away by gun batteries onshore. Because of its resources and position, Sackets Harbor became the center of naval and military operations. After the battle, the lakeport developed into a military complex that was fortified and protected by thousands of troops. It was the largest naval port at the time and, as a result, a lot of sailors and workmen constructed the fleet of war.[3] 

Throughout the early 1800s, Sackets Harbor continued to prosper and became the center of commercial shipbuilding and trade. The Patriot's War revived the town's military role, but it quickly dissipated when the war ended. Since then, Sackets Harbor has continued as a small village with a relatively low population.[3]