Discover 10 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Rome (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Fort Stanwix, Oriskany Battlefield State Historic Site, and First Methodist Episcopal Church of Rome. Also, be sure to include Capitol Theatre in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Rome (New York).
Table of Contents
Fort Stanwix
Fortress in Rome, New York. Fort Stanwix was a colonial fortress whose construction commenced on August 26, 1758, under the direction of British General John Stanwix, at the location of present-day Rome, New York, but was not completed until about 1762. The bastion fort was built to guard a portage known as the Oneida Carry during the French and Indian War. Fort Stanwix National Monument, a reconstructed structure built by the National Park Service, now occupies the site.
Fort Stanwix is historically significant because of its successful defense by American troops during an August 1777 siege. The fort had been built by the British in 1758 at a strategic site along the water route from Lake Ontario to the Hudson River. After American forces captured and rebuilt the fort during the American Revolutionary War, they were besieged by a British army that invaded from Canada via Lake Ontario, hoping to reach the Hudson River. The British force abandoned the siege, a consequence that helped lead to the defeat of a larger British army during the Saratoga campaign.
Fort Stanwix was also the site of the 1768 Treaty of Fort Stanwix between Britain and Native American tribes, as well as of the 1784 Treaty of Fort Stanwix between the tribes and the American government.
Besides the fort reconstruction itself, the national monument includes three short trails that encircle it, one of which follows a portion of the Oneida Carry. The Marinus Willett Collections Management and Education Center preserves the monument's 485,000 artifacts and documents, displays exhibits about Fort Stanwix and the Mohawk Valley, and serves as a regional tourism center.[1]
Address: 100 N James St, 13440 Rome
Oriskany Battlefield State Historic Site
State park in Rome, New York. Oriskany Battlefield State Historic Site is a historic site in Oneida County, New York, United States that marks the Battle of Oriskany, fought in 1777 during the American Revolution, one of the bloodiest engagements of the war.
The park is northwest of the Village of Oriskany on NY Route 69 and is southeast of the City of Rome. An obelisk, with plaques at the base commemorating the battle and its participants, is the central feature of the site.
The battlefield is on the south side of the Mohawk River. The terrain consists of small rises, divided by ravines, above Mohawk River bottomlands.[2]
Address: 7801 State Route 69, 13424-4115 Oriskany
First Methodist Episcopal Church of Rome
Church building. First Methodist Episcopal Church of Rome is a historic Methodist Episcopal church building located at Rome in Oneida County, New York. It includes the original brick and stone church building, completed in 1868, and the Ninde Memorial Chapel, added in 1910–1911. The church is a 2-story, three-bay-wide building with a spire and bell tower. It has a slate-covered gable roof. The chapel is a 2+1⁄2-story, four-bay-wide, red brick building on a cut stone foundation.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.[3]
Address: 400 N George St, 13440-5006 Rome
Capitol Theatre
Theatre in Rome, New York. The Capitol Theatre is a theatre operating in Rome, New York. It opened December 10, 1928 as part of the Kallet chain of movie houses, presenting first run films until it closed in 1974. After extensive renovation, the theatre re-opened in 1985 as the non-profit Capitol Civic Center, offering classic films, live theatrical performances, and concerts.[4]
Address: 220 W Dominick St, 13440-5812 Rome
Rome Arsenal
Building in Rome. The Rome Arsenal was a 3 acres fortification complex near Rome, New York. It was built in 1814, and used until 1873.
Rome Arsenal included barracks, arsenal, magazine, workshops, and other buildings, built to support American forces waging the War of 1812. Major James Dalleba of Ordnance Department of United States Army supervised construction.
Arsenal House, also known as Commandant's House, is a historic home located at Rome in Oneida County, New York. It is a 2+1⁄2-story, brick structure on a stone foundation, 30 by 36 feet (9.1 by 11.0 m), in the Federal style. At a later date, 1-story wings were added plus front and rear porches. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.[5]
Address: 514 West Dominick Street, Rome
Zion Church
Church building in Rome, New York. Zion Church is a historic Episcopal church building located in Rome, Oneida County, New York. The church was designed by noted national church architect, Richard Upjohn, built in 1850. It is a three-by-four-bay structure built of bluestone in the Gothic Revival style. Located adjacent is the stone "Clarke Memorial Hall" designed by local designer Frederick Hubbard and built a quarter-century later in 1884–1885.
It was listed in 1997 on the National Register of Historic Places which is maintained by the U.S. Department of the Interior's National Park Service.[6]
Address: 140 W Liberty St, 13440-5780 Rome
Jervis Public Library
Public library in Rome, New York. Jervis Public Library is a historic library building located in Rome in Oneida County, New York. It was built in 1858 as the residence of John B. Jervis. The original house is a rectangular, 2+1⁄2-story brick structure with a slate-covered gable roof and cupola. The facade features a 2-story portico supported by four massive Doric order brick columns. A 2-story library extension was added in 1926 and in 1967 a modern library facility was added. Also on the property is a 2-story carriage house built about 1860.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.[7]
Address: 613 N Washington St, 13440 Rome
Rome Elks Lodge No. 96
Lodge in Rome, New York. Rome Elks Lodge No. 96, also known as the Benjamin Leonard House, is a historic Elk's lodge located at Rome in Oneida County, New York. It consists of an asymmetrical, early Italianate style brick main section, with a large rectangular rear addition, and a sun porch and projecting Classical Revival style portico. The portico features two Doric order fluted columns. It was originally built as a dwelling, but rehabilitated in 1926 for use as an Elk's Lodge.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.[8]
Mills House
Mills House is a historic home located at Rome in Oneida County, New York. It is an eclectic High Victorian Gothic style brick residence built in 1877. It has a 2+1⁄2-story, gable-roofed main block and hip-roofed, square, brick kitchen wing. It features a corner tower with pyramidal roof.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.[9]
Gansevoort–Bellamy Historic District
Gansevoort–Bellamy Historic District is a national historic district located at Rome in Oneida County, New York, USA. The district includes ten contributing buildings, two contributing structures and two contributing objects. Located within the district are the former Rome City Hall, U.S. Post Office, Oneida County Courthouse and St. Peter's Catholic Church.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.[10]