Fort Niagara WWII POW Camp - Youngstown, NY
Posted by: 
Rayman
N 43° 15.654 W 079° 03.469
17T E 657634 N 4791619
The Fort Niagara POW Camp was the central command post for 13 other camps in central and western New York. Only one building remains from the camp.
Waymark Code: WM2ZT1
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 01/16/2008
Views: 94
Fort Niagara became a POW camp on June 12, 1944 to house Axis captives from increased Allied victories in World War II. One of 500 such camps in the United States, Fort Niagara became the central command post for 13 branch camps throughout western and central New York. Although the camp could hold up to 3000 prisoners, there were never more than 2200 here at one time.
Prisoners were put to work on farms and in food processing plants to combat labor shortages. Fort Niagara prisoners were treated fairly and earned an average of 80 cents a day. They were allowed to organize their own school, orchestra, choir, sports activities, and pursue artistic interests. Fort Niagara began to release prisoners in late 1945; some stayed until 1946.
The camp had about 54 buildings, only one of which remains. That remaining building was used as the Bachelor Officer Quarters and today is used as state park offices and a state park police substation.
Source: Interpretive signs within Fort Niagara State Park
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