The Oneida Carry was an important link in the main 18th century trade route between the Atlantic seaboard of North America and interior of the continent.

[3] The only other significant waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the continental interior was the Saint Lawrence River, which flows northeast out of Lake Ontario to Montreal and Quebec City.

Although important to trade it wasn't until the beginning of the French and Indian War in 1754 that the Oneida Carry was finally improved with fortifications, supplies, and dams.

In March 1756 this palisade, holding a large amount of supplies for Fort Oswego, would be the scene of the first battle, known to history, to take place on the Oneida Carry.

The Battle of Fort Bull lasted only one day, but saw the entire fortification, and the supplies within, destroyed when its powder magazine exploded.

During the inter-war period the carry also became home to the Roof Family- who would establish a tavern, continued to be utilized by merchants to move trade goods into the interior of the continent, and in 1768 saw the signing of the Treaty of Fort Stanwix.

In general the most military action seen by the garrison was the occasional harassment by bands of Loyalist Raiding Parties moving into the Mohawk Valley.

Which is not to downplay the many lives lost by those soldiers who were unexpectedly attacked, but to re-enforce the idea that garrison duty on the carry became extremely boring.

Starting on 3 April 1941, the War Department began looking for an area to construct an Air Depot in central New York and thus the Oneida Carry would once again become an important part of the Nations Defense.