Oswego

Established in 1722 as a British trading post, Oswego had a long military history and a series of fortifications as Fort Oswego (1727-1756), Fort George (1755-1756) and Fort Ontario (1755-1778, 1792-1814 and 1839-1940). Before the American Revolution (1776-1783), Oswego was British and its arch-nemesis Cataraqui (1673-1758), directly across Lake Ontario, was French. In the War of 1812, Oswego and Sackets Harbor were on the front line against British forces stationed in Canada. The city's military history ends with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division (United States) relocated away from the region during World War II; Fort Ontario then housed approximately 982 wartime Jewish refugees (August 1944-February 1946) before being turned over to New York State post-war. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1970.

Intercity rail, bus and air connections are available at Syracuse.
;By car:

• New York State Route 481 runs north from Interstate 81 in Syracuse via Fulton
• New York State Route 104 runs east from Rochester (New York)

;By bus:

• Centro

  phone: +1 315-442-3400
  address: Transit Center, W. 1st Street at W. Bridge Street
  Regional bus service, Oswego-Syracuse and Oswego-Fulton-Mexico.

;By boat:

• The 23.7 mile (38 km) Oswego Canal, built in 1828, connects the Erie Canal at Three Rivers (near Liverpool) to Lake Ontario at Oswego. The canal has a depth of 14 ft (4.2 m), with seven locks spanning the 118 ft (36 m) change in elevation.

• Port of Oswego Marina

  phone: +1 315 342-0436
  address: 3 Basin St

• Oswego Transit Center

  address: W 1st St & W Bridge St
  Local and regional CENTRO bus.

• Fort Ontario State Historic Site

  phone: +1 315 343-4711
  address: 1 E Fourth St
  Fort Ontario is built on the ruins of three earlier fortifications dating to the French and Indian War, Revolutionary War, and War of 1812.

• Safe Haven Museum

  address: 2 E 7th St
  The War Relocation Authority established the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter, the first and only in the United States, housing primarily Europeans of Jewish descent.

• H. Lee White Marine Museum

  phone: +1 315 342-0480
  address: 1 E 1st St
  Marine history museum on former grain elevator site at canal terminus. Exhibits, galleries and a fleet of historic vessels the length of Oswego's West First Street Pier. Treasure Chest souvenir shop. Historic vessels open mid-May - Sep 30, weather permitting.

• Richardson-Bates House Museum

  phone: +1 315 343-1342
  address: 135 E 3rd St
  Victorian (1867) lawyer's home with Oswego County Historical Society archival collections and exhibits documenting the history of Oswego County.

• SUNY OswegoFounded 1861 as Oswego Normal School, a teachers' college. Now offers a variety of liberal arts degree programs. Former students include comedian Jerry Seinfeld, NBC weatherman Al Roker and ESPN anchors Steve Levy and Linda Cohn.

• Oswego Harbor West Pierhead LightAn active aid to navigation, built in 1934 at the mouth of the Oswego River to replace an earlier light constructed in 1880. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States of America, owned by the City of Oswego and operated by the United States Coast Guard.

• Thunder Island Water Park and Family Entertainment Park

  - located in Fulton

• Oswego Speedway

  phone: +1 315 342-0646
  address: 300 E Albany St
  Classic Weekend end-August, Labor Day weekend 200-lap, non-wing, big-block super-modified Bud Classic and Race of Champions.

• Fishing on Oswego RiverWatch salmon- and trout-fishing from walkway upstream starting from Utica Street or from behind Oswego Salmon Shop. Three-year-old King salmon are spawning below dam during October.

• Kayak in Oswego harbor

  phone: +1 315 342-8186
  address: 29 Lake Street
  Kayak out to lighthouse or start up Oswego River. One hour's rental from city-run Wright Landing or Oswego Expeditions is all you need to see a lot and get a good workout.
• The Underground Railroad included eleven historic sites in Oswego County; most are individual safe houses which served as way stations for the legendary 1850s freedom train north to Canada. The town of Oswego and the county both publish itinerary for a driving tour.

Events

• Harborfest

  phone: +1 315 343-6858
  address: Oswego Harbor Festivals Inc, 41 Lake St
  Annual festival with live music and entertainment, fireworks, arts and crafts, programming and activities for children and families

• CNY Great Pumpkin Festival

  address: Washington Square Park
  Live music, arts and crafts vendors and demonstrations, pumpkin carving lessons, ghost stories, scarecrow building and pumpkin carving contests, a mini farmer's market, and a wide variety of hearty foods.

• PaddleFestAnnual benefit event: Kayak the Oswego River from Indian Point (in Fulton, ) or Minetto’s Riverview Park (on NY Route 48, ) through four canal locks to H. Lee White Maritime Museum’s Boating Center on the West First Street pier in Oswego.

• Oswego Farmer's Market

  phone: +1 315 343-7681
  address: West First St between Bridge and Oneida St
  Wide variety of vendors, live entertainment each week beginning at 6PM. A second location operates Saturdays in Fulton.

• Canale's Restaurant

  phone: +1 315 343-3540
  address: 156 W Utica St
  Italian.

• Maria's Family Restaurant

  phone: +1 315 216-4562
  address: 111 W 2nd St
  American, Italian, all day breakfast, desserts.

• Oswego Tea Company

  phone: +1 315 343-0439
  address: 157 E First St
  Café and bakery, all-day breakfast.

• La Parrilla

  phone: +1 315 216-4179
  address: 156 West Second St
  Mediterranean bistro, Spanish and Italian.

• Red Sun Fire Roasting Co and Port City Café

  phone: +1 315 343-2418
  address: 207 and 209 W. 1st St
  Restaurant and bakery. Gourmet soups, salads, wraps, sandwiches, fresh pastries and panini.

• Rudy's Lakeside Drive-in

  phone: +1 315 343-2671
  address: 78 County Route 89
  Seafood, burgers, desserts. On beach, west of SUNY Oswego and Sunset RV Park, seasonal.

• Thai Rose

  phone: +1 315 207-2009
  address: 42 W 2nd St
  Asian, dining room and takeout, wi-fi.

• Vona's

  phone: +1 315 343-8710
  address: W 10th and Utica Sts.
  Italian.

• The Water Street Café

  phone: +1 315 207-1550
  address: 150 Water St
  Salads, soups and sandwiches.

• Greene's Ale House

  phone: +1 315 343-1209
  address: 104 W Bridge St
  Sports bar with food ($6-10), bottled and draft beer.

• Old City Hall

  phone: +1 315 207-1550
  address: Water St
  Bar, often with live music

• Woodchuck Saloon

  phone: +1 315 343-2865
  address: 1 Mitchell St

• Beacon Hotel

  phone: +1 315 343-3300
  address: 75 W Bridge St
  Fourteen-room hotel with meeting facilities.

• Best Western Captain's Quarters

  phone: +1 315 342-4040
  address: 26 E 1st St
  Downtown 93-room waterfront hotel on Oswego River with restaurant, pool, fitness and conference facilities, newspaper, continental breakfast.

• Evergreen Motel

  phone: +1 315 343-6880
  address: 5047 Rte 104 E
  On Seaway Trail. Microwave, fridge, Wi-Fi in rooms. Pines Grub and Pub restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

• Quality Inn & Suites Riverfront

  phone: +1 315-343-1600
  address: 70 E 1st St

• Oswego Public Library

  phone: +1 315 341-5867
  address: 120 E 2nd St
  Internet, computers, Wi-Fi, fax, scan, copy, reading room, community room.

• Sackets Harbor
• Finger Lakes Apple Country
• Syracuse and Rochester