Today
Today the only structures which remain of the original 1840 era Army post are the barracks, its adjacent brick powder magazine, and the nearby "old post cemetery." The original post parade ground is also still present. These structures represent one of the last remaining examples of the first generation of permanent U.S. Army barracks in existence in the United States. In 2007, a section of paved road which ran beside the barracks and followed the route of the original dirt road into the post compound through the palisade gate was removed by the City of Plattsburgh.
The "Old Stone Barracks" itself has changed little since the departure of the Air Force in 1995 and remains boarded up and closed to the public. The "Old Stone Barracks" is often the target of vandalism and frequent break-ins due in part to the many ghost stories which have circulated on the internet concerning this building and its purported (and false) use as a "field hospital" during the Battle of Plattsburgh (24 years before the barracks was even built). Over the past several years, floodlights have been added that illuminate the front and rear of the barracks at night which has somewhat decreased the number of forced entries into the structure. Recently, however, many of the spindles which support the long railings of the barracks' signature two story portico, as many as 40 at last count, have been kicked out (as can be easily noted in the photo above of the barracks taken from the parade ground) and upon closer inspection, numerous large areas of rot and deterioration can be seen throughout the woodwork of the imposing structure.
In December 2010, It became public knowledge that the Old Stone Barracks and over 7 acres of surrounding property had been offered to Bernard Schneider, a Canadian real estate developer, for $35,000. The property is appraised at over $775,000. News of the pending sale immediately sparked a public outcry and spurred a Facebook campaign entitled "Save the Old Stone Barracks." Details of the proposed development include the construction of an apartment complex on the historic property.
Read more about this topic: Old Stone Barracks
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