What's happening
This bill establishes the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter in Oswego as a New York State historic site.
Why it matters
Recognizes and preserves a unique chapter of American Holocaust history. The site commemorates the only official U.S. government shelter for Holocaust refugees during World War II, highlighting a rare instance of direct American intervention to save those fleeing persecution.
Educational and cultural impact. Designation as a state historic site means increased resources for educational programs, museum exhibits, and public awareness initiatives, helping to teach future generations about the Holocaust, refugee experiences, and the importance of humanitarian action.
Potential for increased tourism and community development. As an official historic site, the Safe Haven location in Oswego could attract visitors, researchers, and school groups, providing economic and cultural benefits to the local community while reinforcing New York’s role in preserving diverse histories.
Sets a precedent for state-level recognition of refugee and immigrant experiences. This move may encourage further acknowledgment and protection of other significant sites tied to refugee history, broadening the scope of whose stories are officially commemorated in state history.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Make Holocaust Shelter Historic Site
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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History
- Reported and committed to rules
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to cultural affairs, tourism, parks and recreation
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to cultural affairs, tourism, parks and recreation
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2773
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 17, 2017
Introduced by Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation
AN ACT to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, in relation to establishing the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter state historic site
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The parks, recreation and historic preservation law is amended by adding a new section 14.11 to read as follows:
§ 14.11 Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter historic site. 1. The commissioner shall designate, pursuant to section 3.09 of this chapter and section 19.03 of this title, those parcels of land specified in subdivision two of this section to be a state historic site to be known as the "Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter" historic site.
2. The Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter historic site shall constitute that parcel of land located at 2 East 7th Street in the city of Oswego.
3. The exact boundaries of such park shall be established by the office, in consultation with the secretary of state.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08307-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, in relation to establishing the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter state historic site
Purpose
To establish the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter state historic site
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends the parks, recreation and historical preservation law by adding a new section establishing the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter historic site and authorizing the commissioner of the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation designate the parcels of land consisting of the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter as a state historic site
Section 2 provides the effective date.
Existing law
Article 14 of the Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Law relates to statewide historic preservation program and state register of historic places.
Justification
During the last years of World War II in an effort to assist some of those being persecuted by the Nazi regime, The United States government brought 982 European refugees to Oswego, New York where they remained for eighteen months between August 1944 and February 1946. Known as the Fort Ontario Safe Haven Refugee Center, the site is the only one of its kind in the United States during the World War II. This legislation properly commemorates the proud history of Safe Haven as a state historical site.
The Nazis created millions of refugees throughout Europe, most of whom were Jewish, sending all those they deemed antithetical to their objectives to prison camps. Among the refugees housed in Safe Haven were Jews who had escaped the concentration camps. At the time, immigration law did not provide for the admission of refugees into the United States. Instead, President Roosevelt invited the selected group of refugees to Oswego as his "guests." By evading the immigration quotas in place at the time, however, the Safe Haven refugees had no legal standing in the United States and their return to Europe was required at the cessation of the War.
Since Safe Haven operated as a refugee shelter, and after the conclusion of the Second World War, the United States has enacted various legislative measures related to refugee asylum and the admission of displaced and persecuted persons into the country. Due in part to the Displaced Persons Act of 1948, those Safe Haven refugees who so desired were able to obtain American citizenship. However, Safe Haven has the unique history of being the first, and remains the only refugee camp for war victims in American history. Designating the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter as a state historic site provides the proper recognition that this remarkable and impressive occurrence in our nation's and state's history deserves.
Legislative history
S.7253 Referred to Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks & Recreation.
Fiscal implications
By recognizing Safe Haven Refugee Shelter as a state historic site, Safe Haven will become a greater tourist destination, and attraction to the area will be increased, thus accordingly bolstering the state and local economies.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.