Discover Ogdensburg

Ogdensburg can be explored through several distinct themes: art and personal connections to Frederic Remington, the history of Fort de la Présentation, and the maritime significance of the Ogdensburg Harbor Lighthouse. The Maple City Trail is another point of interest. If you are planning a stay, these themes offer different ways to get to know the city: its collection, local history, and river confluence.

Art and the Frederic Remington Collection

The Frederic Remington Art Museum preserves and presents the world’s largest public collection of artwork, archives, and personal artifacts related to Frederic Remington. The collection thus includes different types of material: alongside the artwork, it also includes archives and personal artifacts. For travelers interested in Remington, it is a cultural highlight in its own right in Ogdensburg. It differs from the historical connections to the area associated with Fort de la Présentation and the lighthouse.

Ogdensburg at the Confluence: Fort and Lighthouse

Fort de la Présentation was built where the St. Lawrence River and the Oswegatchie River meet—at the site of what is now Ogdensburg. The location directly connects the fort’s history with the confluence. There, American, Canadian, Indigenous, French, and British cultures came together for worship, trade, and protection. These purposes represent different aspects of the fort: religious life, trade, and protection. At the same time, the range of cultures mentioned points to multiple cultural connections. The fort thus offers a distinct perspective on local history, encompassing both its location and the groups and purposes mentioned.

The Ogdensburg Harbor Lighthouse also stands on a point of land at the confluence of the Oswegatchie River and the St. Lawrence River. Its significance stems from its connection to the region’s maritime history. While the fort’s story centers on the cultures mentioned and the purposes of worship, trade, and protection, the lighthouse highlights maritime history. Both sites lead to the same confluence, but offer different historical perspectives on Ogdensburg.

Group Visits and Finding Your Way on the Maple City Trail

Group visits to the Remington Museum of Art can be organized as a standalone museum visit or as part of a full-day program in Ogdensburg. If you are planning for a group, you can choose between a visit focused on the museum and a larger day program. Which option works best depends on whether the museum should be the main focus or part of a full-day program.

The Maple City Trail can be accessed at the Dobisky Visitors’ Center and the Spring Street Bridge. These two locations give you specific points of reference for accessing the trail. Since access points can change, check current access conditions before your visit. This lets you include the trail in your plans without conflating its access points with the city’s historical themes: it offers its own point of reference for getting around, while the collection, fort, and lighthouse each provide distinct cultural and historical highlights.

Your stay can therefore include a selection of different themes rather than just one main focus. You can make the Remington collection your priority, explore the fort’s cultural connections, or discover Ogdensburg through its maritime history. Groups also have the option of arranging a museum visit on its own or as part of a full-day program; be sure to check the access points for the Maple City Trail in advance.

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