During WWII, Fort Ontario Was The Only Shelter In The United States for Jewish Refugees Fleeing The Holocaust;
Legislation Would Keep Their Stories Alive For Generations To Come
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. The Fort Ontario military complex dates back to the early 1840s, and during World War II, it was the only emergency refugee camp in the country for those fleeing the Holocaust. From August 1944 until February 1946, Fort Ontario housed 982 mostly Jewish refugees from Europe, most of whom went on to become American citizens. Designating the Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter as a National Historic Park would give this important historical site permanent protection and help ensure that it is preserved for generations to come. Representative Claudia Tenney (R-NY) leads companion legislation in the House.
“The Holocaust Refugee Shelter at Fort Ontario was a place of safety and hope during a dark moment in history, and it deserves recognition in the National Park System,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I am proud to once again be introducing this legislation to achieve this goal and am determined to work across the aisle to get it done.”
“It’s only fitting to preserve the rich history of the Safe Haven Holocaust Refuge Shelter Museum and Fort Ontario by officially designating Safe Haven as a National Historical Park. Together, Safe Haven and Fort Ontario tell the powerful history of Central New York and Oswego County dating back to the earliest days of our nation, standing proudly as a beacon of hope for hundreds of Jewish and European refugees forced to flee their homes to escape the horrors of the Holocaust and World War II,” said Senator Schumer. “I’ve been advocating for this designation in Congress for years and was proud to lead this legislation to passage in the Senate last year. Today, we’re taking a step closer to giving Americans from across the country the opportunity to learn about Safe Haven and the role it played in shaping Central New York. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to once again support this bill, and implore the House of Representatives to join us, so we can preserve the rich history of the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum, Fort Ontario and Oswego County for years to come.”
“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.
Senator Gillibrand has been advocating for Fort Ontario for many years. In 2018, she passed a bill to require the National Park Service to conduct a special resource study (SRS) – the first step in the process to designate a site as a unit of the National Park System – of the Fort Ontario site. In 2024, the SRS was finalized and concluded that the two-acre portion of Fort Ontario representing the fort’s use as a World-War II European refugee shelter meets all necessary criteria. Last year, the bill passed the Senate but failed to become law.
The full text of the legislation is available here.
“We are honored to have the federal government recognize this important chapter, not only of our heritage, but in the pages of American history,” said Oswego County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup, District 9. “This shelter was the only one of its kind in the U.S. The nearly 1,000 refugees who came to Oswego became part of the fabric of our community, and we are privileged to help share their stories.”
“I want to thank Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand and Representative Tenney for their unwavering efforts to reintroduce the “Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park Establishment Act”. I strongly believe that the prominence and history that our fort holds are remarkably significant to the story of our country and deserves a national designation. Fort Ontario took in 982 refugees; men, women, and children, who were allowed into the United States during the Holocaust. These refugees were housed in Oswego, NY from August of 1944 until February of 1946. With Fort Ontario being the only refugee shelter for Holocaust victims in all of the United States during World War II, I think that speaks to the gravity and deservedness of this designation,” said Mayor Robert Corradino, City of Oswego. “Thank you again to our representatives working to achieve this legislation. I have great hope to see it be awarded and keep the story of these men, women, and children alive for years to come, with a reach far greater than the Oswego community.”
“The NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and Fort Ontario State Historic Site look forward to this potential partnership. The story of the 982 refugees who called Fort Ontario home from 1944-46 is indeed a national story and one we would be happy to assist the NPS, Safe Haven Museum and the City of Oswego to bring to greater national attention.” said Matthew Macvittie, Historic Site Manager Fort Ontario NYS Historic Site.
“I am thrilled that this long, bi-partisan effort to bring proper recognition to the truly unique and historically significant Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter is coming to fruition. I want to thank Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, and Congresswoman Tenney for sponsoring this truly worthwhile bill and for working with me throughout the years to make this happen,” said Former Congressman John Katko.
“The Jewish Federation of Central New York, strongly urges that Fort Ontario be established as a unit of the National Park System. As the only refugee camp in the United States during the Holocaust, the Fort represents a moment of national commitment to justice and freedom. It would be a worthy addition to the United States’ National Park System. Thank you, Senator Gillibrand, for continuing to push this legislation forward,” said Barbara Davis, Interim President/CEO, Jewish Federation of CNY
“We are all excited about the re-introduction of the bill to honor the memory of the 982 refugees from the Holocaust who were housed at Fort Ontario during WWII. I want to thank former Congressman John Katko, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, and Congresswoman Claudia Tenney for their dedication to preserve this unique period in American history,” said Judy Coe Rapaport, Acting President, Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum.
“We are very excited to hear the news that Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, and Congresswoman Tenney will be reintroducing to Congress the Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park Establishment Act,” said Daniel Laird, President of Friends of Fort Ontario. “Fort Ontario is singularly unique in that it served as the only refugee camp or shelter for mostly Jewish Holocaust refugees in the United States during WWII. It is where the Holocaust came to America; where every day Americans first met the victims of Nazi persecution and heard their personal stories of survival first-hand. It is where the press finally found a Holocaust story they deemed worthy of feature coverage, and it resulted in the Holocaust moving from the back to the front pages of American newspapers after over eleven years of Hitler’s reign of terror. Furthermore, Fort Ontario is where the first group of refugees entered the United States outside the immigration quota system and were granted asylum. It is, therefore, the birthplace of American Refugee Policy. For these reasons and a list of many more too long to go into, Fort Ontario is well worthy of becoming a National Historical Park.”
“After touring Ohrdurf Concentration Camp in Germany, Lt. General Dwight D. Eisenhower warned that someday some may deny that the Holocaust ever happened. In order for them to bear witness to Nazi atrocities, Eisenhower ordered troops in theatre including my father to tour Nazi concentration camps. With the last of the greatest generation and Holocaust survivors and Shelter Refugees passing on, and with Anti-Semitism and Holocaust denials on the rise, Eisenhower’s dire prediction has come true. As a National Historical Park, dedicated to interpreting the unique history and significance of the WWII Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter, Fort Ontario will forever prove to Americans and others that the Holocaust actually happened. I am deeply grateful to Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, and Congresswoman Tenney for making this great effort to establish the Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park,” said Paul Lear, Historian, Member of the Board of the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum.
“I am deeply grateful to the Senator Gillibrand, Senator Schumer and Representative Tenny for their unwavering advocacy in ensuring that the stories of refugees are never forgotten. These stories serve as a powerful reminder of how a single, symbolic gesture by the United States not only saved countless lives but also demonstrated the resilience and strength of the human spirit, inspiring us all to work towards a better, more compassionate world,” said Treasurer- Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum and Friends of Fort Ontario.
“One of my proudest accomplishments during my tenure as President of the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum, was developing a 2022 Grand Reopening that introduced the public to our 32 new exhibits! Each exhibit celebrates the 987 survivors who were able to flee from the genocide and inhumane madness that was the Holocaust and be sheltered by the United States at Fort Ontario from 1944-1946. This small group of Holocaust survivors’ harrowing stories of suffering, loss and resilience are the narratives of the Museum’s exhibits. And with the support of the bipartisan Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park Establishment Act, we will be able to ensure our beloved refugees and their descendants that the Museum’s precious historical artifacts and narratives will be nationally preserved, protected and administered on the same grounds where the echoes of hope and healing can still be heard!” said Audrey S. Hurley, Emeriti President, Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum.
“The Fort Ontario Refugee Shelter holds an indelible place in our nation’s history and is part of the fabric of this region. I appreciate the work of our federal representatives to help ensure this sacred place earns its rightful designation as a National Historic Park,” said Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay.
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