Some Cub Scouts enjoy a visit to Fort Ticonderoga in 2011.
Fort Ticonderoga unveiled a new program specifically designed for visiting Cub Scout and Boy Scout groups during the 2012 season. In “Planting the Tree of Liberty: the Beginnings of the Continental Army at Fort Ticonderoga,” scouts participate in a program based on the daily routine of soldiers at the Fort in the weeks following its capture from the British by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold in the spring and early summer of 1775.
During the two-and-a-half-hour program, scouts form a platoon of soldiers and go through a typical soldier’s day at the Fort. In addition to learning about what soldiers ate and where they slept, scouts will take part in fatigue duty (work details) alongside the Fort’s interpretive staff, witness a musket demonstration, be drilled in formation tactics, and help build a brush shelter, using tools under supervision. The immersive program helps build teamwork skills while developing an appreciation for what it was like to be a soldier at Fort Ticonderoga over 235 years ago.
“Visiting scout groups account for a significant portion of our annual group visits,” noted Director of Education Rich Strum. “This new program meets a need for a more in-depth opportunity for scouts during their Fort Ticonderoga experience.”
This program is available by advance reservation most days during the 2012 season (May 18-October 18) and by special arrangement other times of the year. For more information, visit www.fort-ticonderoga.org and select “Scouting” on the “Explore and Learn” menu tab.