Located in the far northern reaches of New York state, Fort Drum was originally established as Pine Camp in 1908. The facility underwent a major expansion during World War II and the name was changed to Camp Drum in 1951 in honor of Lieutenant General Hugh A. Drum. In 1974, the installation was designated a permanent garrison and renamed Fort Drum. Today, nearly 20,000 Soldiers call Fort Drum home, and the base is the largest employer in the region.

The 10th Mountain Division is the biggest game in town, and most units on post are either part of this light infantry division or serve a support function. The optempo is high, and frequent deployments are a fact of life for the Mountaineers.

Fort Drum is surrounded by striking natural beauty and fans of the outdoors have much to explore. The shores of Lake Ontario are to the west, and the Adirondack Mountains lie to the east. Summer is particularly delightful in the North Country, with temperatures in the 70s and 80s. Wellesley Island—one of the famed Thousand Islands of the region—is covered in trails and is an impressive spot to camp and hike in the warm weather.

Be sure your passport is up-to-date before heading to Fort Drum. The base is 30 miles from the Canadian border, and Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal are close options for weekend explorations.

Subject to ‘lake effect’ snow from the moisture that blows off of Lake Ontario, the area around Fort Drum regularly sees some of the highest snowfall totals in the United States. Learn how to use a snowblower—or be nice to your neighbor! But the snowfall does not hinder daily life and snow removal crews are extremely proactive, and well-practiced. With the snow comes plenty of winter sports options including abundant snowmobile trails and  nearby skiing and snowboarding at Dry Hill Ski area in Watertown.

The winter does bring one caveat—be sure to factor in the cost of heating when house-hunting! Energy bills can be significant during the winter, and newcomers are often in for a shock when their first heating bill arrives.  

The areas surrounding Fort Drum aren’t organized into neat subdivisions like in other parts of the country. Neighborhoods vary from street to street, sometimes even from house to house. This can make house-hunting particularly tricky, as it is common to find a good-looking house immediately adjacent to a rundown or abandoned property. Working with a Scout is key in this area, especially if you need to rent sight-unseen.