GANONDAGAN STATE HISTORIC SITE

The Ganondagan site formerly occupied by the Seneca natives was destroyed by the French during the battle of June 3, 1687. This event took place in the context of the Franco-Iroquois wars (Beaver Wars), which took place throughout the 17th century and whose main purpose was to obtain a monopoly on the fur market. Led by the Marquis de Denonville, more than 2,000 men invaded Ganondagan in order to crush the competition, the Seneca Indians being the English's allies. 45 members of the tribe died there and the village was completely destroyed. The surviving villagers had no choice but to leave and settled mostly in the eastern town of Cayuga. 300 years after these events, the place was granted historic site status. In July 2015, the art and culture centre opened its doors. The estate remains the only white corn producer in the region and invites visitors to try out traditional recipes. The annual Amerindian dance festival takes place in these lands. In the summer, from May to November, you can discover the longhouse, the house in which the members of the Seneca tribe lived. This is a full-scale reproduction, which has been made using traditional methods.