09/05/2026
The building at 301 West Main Street has been standing in Sackets Harbor since 1802. It is the oldest structure on that stretch of the waterfront — and today it welcomes visitors to the village that its original owner founded.
Augustus Sacket was a New York City lawyer and businessman who purchased land on the southeast shore of Lake Ontario in 1801, recognizing the commercial advantage of the deep natural harbor of Black River Bay and the plentiful timber resources nearby. He built a fine mansion for his family the following year — the building that now serves as the Sackets Harbor Visitor Center.
He returned with a corps of workmen to begin construction of a new community, and Sackets Harbor quickly became a major shipping and shipbuilding center. Within a decade, the village he founded from a patch of unimproved lakefront land would become the headquarters of the entire U.S. Army and Navy on the northern frontier during the War of 1812.
Today you can stand at the lower end of Augustus Sacket's front lawn and look across the street where warships were built during the War of 1812. His house — the Sacket Mansion — is now the Sackets Harbor Visitor Center, offering exhibits highlighting local history, key sites and architectural features, and the story of the village.
The man who founded the village in 1801 built his home here in 1802. It has been welcoming people to Sackets Harbor ever since.
The Visitor Center is open through October 12, 2026. In September, hours are Thursdays through Sundays from 11am to 4pm. October hours are Fridays through Sundays, 11am to 4pm.
📍 301 West Main Street · Sackets Harbor, NY
📞 315-646-2321
🔗 visitsacketsharbor.com
