In 1989, after 25 years as a community space, Oyster Bay Town Historian Dorothy Horton McGee spearheaded the nomination of Fort Massapeag for U.S. Historic Landmark status. Collaborating with archaeologist Ralph Solecki and the National Park Service, their efforts culminated in the site receiving this prestigious designation in 1993.
The nomination form, detailing the site's rich collection of artifacts and its significant role during the early contact period with European settlers, spurred further scholarly research. Publications by Solecki and Stone significantly advanced the understanding of Fort Massapeag and similar sites.
This national recognition underscores a crucial fact: Fort Massapeag is the only known Indigenous fort on Western Long Island.