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Monday, July 30, 2018

Location, Location, Location with Debra E. Marvin


Prime Real Estate always gets a good price. In the matter of the Niagara River, gateway to the interior of the North American Continent, three major countries fought and paid with blood to control this important spot.

Travel by europeans began with the French fur trade industry, the first non-native people to travel deep into the cold upper regions of this inhospitable land. Inhospitable to those not willing to trudge along "Indian" paths and ford rocky rivers. North American was a land of abundant trees. Rivers were its highways.


What we know as Fort Niagara is at the mouth of the Niagara River where it flows into Lake Ontario, the last (or first) lake to tie into the great St. Lawrence River. (Depending if you are going with the current or against it!)

The Great lakes are central in the continent and connected all the way out to the north Atlantic, making them a most important travel route.


The current site of Fort Niagara began around  1679 when it became a small, temporary French Fort called Fort Conti. Facing a cruel winter, the soldiers left and it wasn't until 1687 that a large effort was made to build Fort Denonville. Without any reason to tough out another brutal winter, the fort was again abandoned until politics forced a permanent site. In 1726 the incredible building known as The French Castle was erected, making it a site worth fighting over. British soldiers and navy men took it over in 1759 during the French and Indian War (the Seven Years War), only to give it up again in 1796 to the new country of The United States.

But wait, there's more...

Britain gained it back in another battle during the War of 1812. They remained there from 1813-1815, then returned it to those ungrateful rebels, the U.S. Army.



This is the story of so many forts throughout North America and I imagine around the globe.

The French Castle
Thankfully no blood has been shed there in warfare in a long time, only bloodied knees and bloodied blisters of visitors and reenactors.
The view from the south block house toward French Castle along the lake shore, during a reenactment weekend.

I hope you've had a chance to read The Backcountry Brides Collection and The Captive Bride, both  from Barbour Publishing, and both utilizing this tremendous historical treasure in upstate New York.



This month, I'm giving away a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card to one random new subscriber to my newsletter. (contest includes new entries through June, July and August, so sign up today if you're not already a follower.)

Buy Links for The Backcountry Brides Collection
Amazon paperback and digital ebook
Christianbook.com



Wolf Pelt and Musket and Feeling Silly

26 comments:

  1. Have a wonderful week, everyone. Happy August! I'll be posting a link on Wednesday (here) to advise you of a great "August Giveaway" event with multiple Christian Authors. How many of you haven't read the Backcountry Brides Collection yet?

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  2. A wonderful post, Deb! I enjoyed this! I love all these Great Lakes Forts! Blessings!

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  3. I loved visiting there! We spent on an afternoon there on our way back from a trip to Boston. Didn't know much about it, but learned a ton. :)

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  4. Thanks Carrie and Pegg!
    Yes, it's not far from the falls and a nice drive along the river. It's so nice along the lakeshore... unless it's winter and the winds are coming in from the arctic!
    Fort York is right across the lake (Toronto!)

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  5. Nice bit of history! I think the wolf pelt looks like it would keep your head warm during the cold winter. Be careful with the musket though. lol

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    1. It was pretty warm to wear that day for even five minutes. And if had 'an odor'. I have a photo from the back side too. The feet hang to the ground.

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  6. Great pictures of western N.Y. frontier's Ft. Niagara, Deb!
    The Backcountry Brides Collection: absolutely wonderful summer reading. So glad I got it; have only been reading Christian stories since 2010; very uplifting! Thank you Deb, and to the rest of the authors!

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    1. Glad you enjoyed it, Pat. We have to get together for another fort visit. The War of 1812 stories are still sitting on my computer. I have to finish the second one so I can start submitting them to a publisher.

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  7. I'd love to see the French Castle someday!

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  8. I did subscribe to your newsletter as well.

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  9. There's so much that I don't know about this region, having never traveled that far north. So interesting!

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    1. NY has plenty of 'old' history from the 1600s due to the fur trade, British settlements and the very strong Native tribes/government. Colonial, The War of 1812 and Revolutionary war sites, plus the Erie Canal. I have yet to go to Fort Ticonderoga, so that's on my list! Thanks Rebecca!

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  10. When I went to Fort Niagara in May, I was able to get into rooms I'd never been in before, and the third floor. I noted in my story that I'd changed the third floor for my story, but I did get to peer out of the window in my 'heroine's room. I've been to many forts in NY but this it wavering at the top of the list. Thanks, ladies!

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  11. Having lived in the Niagara area for many years, Fort Niagara was visited a number of times. However, it's wonderful to learn more history about it each time you write, Debra :) I have read Backcountry Brides and thoroughly enjoyed it!

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    1. Thanks, Betti! It's a great area. We have so much in upstate NY to enjoy, and plenty of history. I've been to Fort George and Fort Erie on the other side of the river. Fort Niagara has the best view!

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  12. How is it I live just on the other side of the Geneseo River but have never heard of the Wenro tribe? I recognized all the others. Great post, Deb!

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  13. I enjoyed your post, Debra. I love learning early American history. The Captive Bride and The Backcountry Brides Collection are excellent. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

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  14. Thank you for your interesting post, Debra! I'm very intrigued with the French Castle. How often do they do reenactments? And I must say, you wear that wolf pelt very well :) Thank you for the opportunity of this giveaway! ~Alison Boss

    nj(dot)bossman(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Oops! I forgot to tell you I just signed up for your newsletter :)

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    2. There are multiple reenactments over the season. the French and Indian War weekend is the end of June. PLUS a War of 1812, and a weekend for the Revolutionary War. multiple events and fun stuff in the fall and winter, too. We went to Patriot's Day weekend in May and it was very light crowds, but my grandsons had the run of the place in costume and loved it!

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  15. Fascinating history, Debra! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thanks Kelly. Nowadays people want lake front property for other reasons! (like it stays cooler in the summer when you are that close to a great lake!) but the winters can be brutal. Fort Erie (at the other end of the Niagara River) had a similar history. It was fought for in nasty battles, but then the 'winner' left during the winter.

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