Safe Haven

Fort Ontario, now home to Safe Haven Museum, was the only U.S. jurisdiction to formally protect, feed, house, and educate European refugees during WWII. Thanks to President FDR, 982 refugees found their way to America and away from the devastating effects of the Holocaust. To me, it seemed unbelievable that such history could be found in CNY so I had to check it out.
One Saturday morning, I made the 20 mile drive to Oswego in order to visit this small local museum. I arrived 30 minutes after it opened and was the first person there. I chatted with a delightful volunteer, who gave me a rundown of the site and its history before allowing me to watch a 38 minutes video, which included refugee interviews. After the video, I strolled around the tiny gallery to read their stories and see photos. Afterward, I walked through the main area one last time and again chatted with the volunteer, who has been keeping an eye on the place since it opened in 2002.
All and all, I would say that I spent two hours at the museum, but you could easily see it all in an hour or so. Admission is $ 5 for adults. It is obvious that this local landmark is proud of its heritage and has gained a lot of support from both survivors and their families. There are currently plans to expand the facility and add an outdoor garden, which will be lovely. I was sad to hear that there is a shortage of volunteers because this type of history should be protected and shared for generations to come. My only real complaint is that the «theater» where the movie is shown is in the middle of the exhibit hall and the background noise is a tad distracting when you’re reading plagues and information boards (a group of people came in 30 minutes behind me).
Although this is a small museum and perhaps a work-​in-​progress, I recommend it to anyone who, like me, enjoys a trip to the museum to learn new things. I took several courses revolving around the Holocaust in both high school and college, but I never heard the story of Fort Ontario. It is worth going to see for yourself to reflect upon Oswego, NY’s place in WWII history.