Sackets Harbor presents the unique history of a notable community that has achieved prominence as the northern headquarters in the War of 1812, as the home of the celebrated Madison Barracks, and as a revitalized tourist center. Ideally situated on the eastern shore of Lake Ontario in upstate New York, Sackets Harbor attracted the Iroquois, the Algonquin, early white settlers, and military strategists with its bounty. The village took its name from Augustus Sacket, who purchased tracts along the water in 1801 and led the first influx of settlers to the region. By 1809, the village had a military presence, but it was the War of 1812 that put Sackets Harbor on the map. In 1816, it became the site of Madison Barracks, the focus of life in the village until after World War II. Today a mecca for pleasure boating, sports fishing, and relaxation, Sackets Harbor has been dubbed a "hidden treasure."