Great event in Ticonderoga today launching the "Rails to Wheels" partnership between Amtrak and Fort Ticonderoga! pic.twitter.com/P5imFcABSA
— Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) May 22, 2015
New Mount Defiance Tour: Offered Daily at Fort Ticonderoga Beginning May 23, 2015
Mount Defiance will be open to the public beginning May 23, 2015. Fort Ticonderoga as seen from the summit of Mount Defiance. (Click image to see full-scale.)
Visitors to Fort Ticonderoga and the general public are invited to attend the “Mount Defiance: Witness to History Tour” to observe a birds-eye view of Fort Ticonderoga’s epic military landscape and discover how the summit of Mount Defiance shaped American history. Mount Defiance will be open to the public daily, beginning May 23 through October 18, 2015, from 9:30 am – 5:00 pm (last admittance at 4:30 pm); the “Mount Defiance: Witness to History Tour” will be offered daily at 4 pm. Visitors can either purchase tickets to Mount Defiance as a part of the Fort Ticonderoga package ($2.50 per adult, $1.50 per child), or pay directly at the base of the mountain using an electronic kiosk system ($10 per car). Members of Fort Ticonderoga and Resident Ambassador Pass holders are admitted free of charge and can pick up their Kiosk coin at the admissions booth of Fort Ticonderoga.
“The picnic pavilion located at the summit of Mount Defiance is the perfect spot to relax and enjoy one of America’s most historic landscapes” said Beth Hill, Fort Ticonderoga’s President and CEO. “Whether you hike up the mountain in the historic footsteps of General Burgoyne’s troops or make the easy drive up to the top in your car, you’ll savor the spectacular beauty of this remarkable and historic view. A visit to this breathtaking summit is a great way to begin or end your day at Fort Ticonderoga!”
Mount Defiance provides one of the most magnificent views in the northeast. From the summit, visitors can see up and down the Champlain basin, and enjoy an aerial view of Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Independence. It is a grand location for appreciating the great water highway which stretches from Montréal to New York City. For more information call 518-585-2821 or visit www.fortticonderoga.org, click on the “Visit” tab, and select “Mount Defiance” from the drop-down menu.
Bits of Everything
Whitehall School Superintendent to Leave
The Whitehall Times reports on Whitehall School Superintendent Liz Legault leaving the district.
Ticonderoga IP Plant Pipeline Project Buried by Vermont Gas
The Times of Ti reports that there will be no natural gas pipeline running under Lake Champlain to the International Paper Ticonderoga Mill.
Ranking The States From Most To Least Corrupt
FiveThirtyEight.com recently published a ranking of the most “corrupt” states. Guess which state was ranked #1 in corruption convictions?
“Caveman” Blogger Wins Right to Blog Advice about Food and Fitness without a State License
North Carolinian Steve Cooksey had been obese, diagnosed with Diabetes, and almost keeled over, but emerged from his near-death experience to adopt a simple, “Caveman” or paleo diet of meat, nuts, and veggies along with exercise including running and jumping, sometimes without shoes. He lost a lot of weight, felt great and healthy, and wanted to share with the world, so he started a blog, wherein he dispensed advice about food and fitness. Recipes, grocery lists, general advice.
The state of North Carolina declared this illegal “counseling and assessing” without a license provided by the state. For three years, the “Caveman” has been fighting for the right to blog without a license.
Recently, Mr. Cooksey won. The Institute for Justice which represented Cooksey made this video.
21st Ticonderoga Ball: Union League Club in New York City, Friday, March 6
Fort Ticonderoga’s fundraising event, the Ticonderoga Ball, begins at 7 pm on March 6 at the Union League Club in New York City, featuring music, dancing, a silent auction and a lavish dinner.
Spend an elegant evening at the Union League Club in New York City celebrating Fort Ticonderoga’s history and future. The Ticonderoga Ball will be held on Friday, March 6, 2015 beginning at 7 pm. Music, dancing, a silent auction and a lavish dinner make for a festive black-tie evening benefiting Fort Ticonderoga. Individual tickets are $325 and junior tickets are $210 (30 years old and under); Reservations are required.
“The Ticonderoga Ball is Fort Ticonderoga’s largest fundraising event of the year, “said Beth Hill, Fort Ticonderoga President and CEO. “The event, set in the elegant and historic setting of New York’s Union League Club, brings together Fort Ticonderoga supporters from across the United States to celebrate Fort Ticonderoga’s epic history, current programs, and future plans. The Ticonderoga Ball’s theme this year is inspired by Fort Ticonderoga’s 2015 annual focus on its French history in the year 1756. The elegant dinner will be inspired by Fort Ticonderoga’s rich French history which dates to its origin in 1755 when the fort was first established as Fort Carillon in the southernmost part of New France. Support for this event makes possible Fort Ticonderoga’s educational programs, exhibitions, gardens, and all other preservation and restoration efforts.”
The Ticonderoga Ball attracts more than 170 people each year who attend in support of Fort Ticonderoga’s mission of preservation and education. Event honorees for the 21st Annual Ball are Dr. and Mrs. C. Wayne Bardin, longtime Fort Ticonderoga supporters and enthusiastic advocates of Fort Ticonderoga’s French connection. The night begins with a cocktail reception and silent auction at 7 pm; followed by an elegant dinner at 8 pm. A live auction and dancing complete the night. Dance music will be provided by the Lester Lanin Orchestra, known for their unique, homogenized music with lively patina. For more information or to receive an invitation, please contact Martha Strum at 518-585-2821 or by emailing mstrum@fort-ticonderoga.org. There is a flexible RSVP deadline of February 20.
Fort Ticonderoga is an independent non-profit educational organization. All proceeds for the Ticonderoga Ball support Fort Ticonderoga’s mission to ensure that present and future generations learn from the struggles, sacrifices, and victories that shaped the nations of North America and changed world history.
Fort Fever Series Program February 8th Highlights Fort Ticonderoga’s World Renowned Museum Collections
Fort Ticonderoga’s “Fort Fever Series” on Sunday, February 8, at 2 pm with a presentation by Curator of Collections Matthew Keagle, titled “Beyond Founding Fashion”. Image of 18th-century military apparel, copyright Fort Ticonderoga Museum.
Fort Ticonderoga kicks off its second “Fort Fever Series” with a special guided tour led by the Curator of Collections, Mathew Keagle, to explore Fort Ticonderoga’s collection of military clothing—the largest collection of 18th-century military uniforms in North America. “Beyond Founding Fashion” is a unique opportunity to discover the evolution of military fashion in the decades after the American Revolution. The program takes place on Sunday, February 8 at 2 pm in the Mars Education Center. The cost for the program is $10 per person and will be collected at the door; free for Fort Ticonderoga members.
The program begins with a guided tour of the Founding Fashion exhibit in the Mars Education Center gallery. Get a behind-the-scenes perspective of new research on the uniforms featured in the exhibition, the stories of the men who wore them, and how they fit into the evolution of military clothing. This will be followed by a rare chance to examine additional original garments from the collection not on display. These garments will complete the story of 18th-century military dress and show how military dress evolved from those worn during the Revolutionary War through the early years of the American Republic. Many of these garments and related accessories are one-of-a-kind survivors preserved only in Fort Ticonderoga’s collections.
“With the installation of Founding Fashion in the Mars Education Center, Fort Ticonderoga has finally been able to showcase its excellent collection of 18th-century military uniforms,” said Mathew Keagle, Curator of Collections. “But Founding Fashion is just the beginning; the museum’s collection is much larger—stretching through the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and beyond.”
Founding Fashion: The Diversity of Regularity in 18th-Century Military Clothing Exhibition opened in May of 2014 and runs through November of 2015. The exhibit explores how European military fashion and global commerce influenced American martial appearance throughout the American Revolution. Funding for the Founding Fashion exhibit was made possible in part by the following supporters: Best Western Plus Ticonderoga, D&E Technologies, Glens Falls National Bank, History Channel, Lake George Mirror, National Grid, Ticonderoga Credit Union, and individual donors.
Fort Ticonderoga Purchases Carillon Cruise Boat
Fort Ticonderoga announced today that it has acquired the Carillon cruise boat, 60 foot replica 1920s 1000 Islands cruise boat. Plans are underway for 2015 waterway tours and programs at Fort Ticonderoga.
Fort Ticonderoga, a not-for-profit educational organization and major cultural destination, announced today that it has purchased the Carillon cruise boat, formerly located on the shores of Lake Champlain in Shoreham, Vermont. Waterway tours will be offered by Fort Ticonderoga beginning in the spring of this year. The acquisition of the boat is part of a larger Fort Ticonderoga waterway recreation and transportation initiative that is anticipated to continue to develop over the next several years.
“Fort Ticonderoga is thrilled to have the opportunity to expand its cultural destination experience to the internationally significant waters of Lake Champlain. The lake is a tremendous asset for our region and with Fort Ticonderoga’s 2 miles of shoreline and story that is intricately linked to Lake Champlain, the development of a water experience is an obvious next step in our program development,” said Beth Hill, Fort Ticonderoga President and CEO. “Thanks in part to a New York Empire State Development grant and other generous supporters, Fort Ticonderoga’s waterway experience will expand our tourism demographic, increase the length of stay of our guests, connect our historic properties on both sides of Lake Champlain, and highlight Ticonderoga’s epic story in a new and exciting way. We are particularly enthusiastic about this project as it is directly linked with a Town of Ticonderoga priority to increase access and waterway experiences through tourism development.”
“We are extremely pleased to acquire this iconic vessel,” said Sanford W. Morhouse, Fort Ticonderoga Chairman of the Board. “My wife and I were privileged to be guests of Captain Paul Saenger and his wife Rene, the Carillon’s prior owners, on Captain Paul’s last Carillon cruise prior to his passing. Captain Paul clearly wanted the boat to stay in the southern part of Lake Champlain, and we at Fort Ticonderoga are exceedingly pleased that we will fulfill that wish while greatly enhancing the Fort Ticonderoga experience.”
The Carillon boat, a replica of a 1920s 1000 Islands cruise boat, is a 60 foot luxury vessel previously owned by Paul and Rene Sanger. The Saengers owned and operated the boat from a dock in Shoreham, Vermont, offering scenic and educational tours in southern Lake Champlain that highlighted the region’s history, beauty, and nature. Fort Ticonderoga plans to finalize ownership of the boat this spring as it builds plans for waterway tours on Lake Chaplain for the 2015 season.
Fort Ticonderoga recently received a funding in the latest round of the New York State Regional Economic Development grant awards. The grant was awarded to Fort Ticonderoga to support the first phase of development in a waterway transportation and recreation system. Specifically, the funding will be used to construct a dock. Fort Ticonderoga continues to seek philanthropic support to fund the development of this waterway initiative and related educational programs.
Bits of Everything
The Story Behind The Attempt To Oust the LGPC’s Dave Wick
The Adirondack Almanack tells a story of political intrigue.
Ticonderoga Area Turns out to Support IP Pipeline
The Times of Ti reports on a proposed gas line under Lake Champlain.
Public Pocket Getting Picked
The Times Union reports on thefts from the public treasury by public employees.
Canadian Pacific Railway’s Holiday Train Stopping Locally
Canadian Pacific’s Holiday Train will stop in Fort Edward and Ticonderoga on Saturday, November 29, 2014.
On Saturday, November 29th, Canadian Pacific’s Holiday Train will stop in Fort Edward at 12:30 pm and Ticonderoga at 3:00 pm.
Tracey Brown and the Holiday Train band will perform at each stop.
To learn more about the Holiday Train go to: http://www.cpr.ca/holiday-train/canada
Fort Ticonderoga Receives Prestigious Education Grant
Participants in a 2014 National Endowment of the Humanities Landmarks Workshop at Fort Ticonderoga. The National Endowment for the Humanities has awarded a grant for $169,232 to Fort Ticonderoga to fund two workshops for teachers in July 2015. (Click image to see full-scale.)
The National Endowment for the Humanities has awarded a grant of $169,232 to Fort Ticonderoga to host two week-long Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshops for School Teachers in the summer of 2015. The workshops will focus on “The American Revolution on the Northern Frontier: Fort Ticonderoga and the Road to Saratoga.” Fort Ticonderoga was one of five institutions in New York State to receive grant funding for NEH Landmarks Workshops in 2015.
“This prestigious grant allows Fort Ticonderoga an unparalleled opportunity to play a vital part in educating and inspiring America’s youth through their teachers’ participation in this program,” said Beth Hill, Fort Ticonderoga President and CEO. “Fort Ticonderoga is a national leader in teacher education and this program helps add to our diverse offerings and increased reach.”
“I’m really excited to welcome 72 teachers to Fort Ticonderoga next summer as part of the NEH Landmarks Workshops,” said Rich Strum, Fort Ticonderoga’s Director of Education and the NEH Project Director for the workshops in 2015. “Providing these NEH Summer Scholars with a unique learning experience combining a top-notch slate of visiting scholars and the talented staff and amazing resources at Fort Ticonderoga makes for a very memorable experience. It’s gratifying to think of the long-term impact a week like this has on teachers and their future students for years to come.”
This NEH Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshop for School Teachers will be offered twice: July 12-17, 2015 and July 26-31, 2015. There is no fee for this program and all participants receive a $1,200 stipend to help defray expenses. Teachers wishing to earn three graduate credits during the workshop can do so through an arrangement with Castleton State College in Vermont.
Visiting scholars for the workshops include some of the most prominent historians in their fields and include James Kirby Martin (University of Houston), Holly Mayer (Duquesne University), Douglas Egerton (LeMoyne College), Carol Berkin (City University of New York), William Fowler (Northeastern University), and Jon Parmenter (Cornell University). Participating teachers have the opportunity to discuss issues related to the Revolution with these scholars as well as utilize the inexhaustible resources of Fort Ticonderoga.
Fort Ticonderoga played a crucial role in the early years of the American Revolution on the northern frontier. Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold captured the Fort and its valuable artillery in May 1775 for the colonial cause. It was a hive of activity in 1776, fending off an aborted British invasion from Canada. In 1777, when news reached London that the Fort fell to the British in July, King George III reportedly shouted to the Queen “I’ve beaten them! I’ve beaten them!” These week-long workshops explore Fort Ticonderoga and the first three years of the Revolution on the northern frontier.
“The American Revolution on the Northern Frontier: Fort Ticonderoga and the Road to Saratoga” is open to all teachers nationwide through a competitive application process open now. Full-time and part-time classroom teachers and librarians in public, charter, independent, and religiously-affiliated schools, as well as home-schooling parents, are eligible to participate. Other K-12 school personnel, including administrators, substitute teachers, and classroom professionals, are also eligible to participate, subject to available space.
Fort Ticonderoga Presents Lively Scots Day Event June 14
Fort Ticonderoga will present the Seventh Annual Scots Day on Saturday, June 14. The commemoration of Scottish heritage and culture, as well as their significant contributions to 18th-century North American history runs from 9:30 am to 5 pm. Tour the Scottish Clan tents and vendors to discover more about your own connection to Scottish culture, and explore the stories of centuries of Scottish soldiers in the British Army through a military timeline offered throughout the day. Daily activities also include Border Collie demonstrations and Pipe performances presented throughout the day. Experience all of this within the beautiful stone walls of Fort Ticonderoga surrounded by the stunning natural beauty of the Adirondack – Lake Champlain region! Admission to Scots Day is included in a Fort Ticonderoga’s general admission ticket. To learn more about the event, participating vendors and clans, and the full schedule visit www.fortticonderoga.org or call 518-585-2821
Special Memorial Ceremony
A special memorial ceremony honoring the 42nd Highland Regiment, also known as the Black Watch, will take place at the Scottish Cairn on the Carillon Battlefield located at Fort Ticonderoga. The procession to the Cairn will begin at 11 am at the Log House Welcome Center. The Memorial Ceremony will take place at 11:30 am and will remember the incredible bravery and discipline of the Black Watch against insurmountable odds at the 1758 Battle of Carillon.
Hear the sounds of Scottish bagpipe music throughout the day as the Plattsburgh Police Pipes and Drums and The King’s Highlanders perform lively concerts on the Fort’s historic Parade Ground.
Participating Scottish Clans
Clan Buchanan
Clan Campbell
Clan Forbes
Clan Hamilton
Clan MacPherson
Clan MacIntyre
Clan Murray
Clan Rose
Participating Organizations
St. Andrew’s Society of the Adirondacks
St. Andrew’s Society of Albany
The Color Guard of the St. Andrew’s Society of Washington
Discover the history of the Black Watch Regiment through living history programs presented throughout the day by members of a Black Watch re-enactor unit from Montreal. Highlighted programs include a living history time-line of the Regiment. The re-enacting group depicts its history from the 18thcentury through the early 21stcentury, with various members representing different significant points in the unit’s history. Learn about the incredible bravery and discipline of the Black Watch against insurmountable odds at the 1758 Battle of Carillon.
The 42ndHighland Regiment, also known as the Black Watch, played a crucial role at Ticonderoga during the Battle of Carillon on July 8, 1758. The regiment suffered over 50% casualties during the failed British assault on the French Lines at Ticonderoga during the French & Indian War. Ticonderoga continued to be an important part of the regiment’s history. During its involvement in the Iraq War, the Black Watch Regiment’s base near Basra was called “Ticonderoga.”
Fort Ticonderoga 2014 Season Begins May 10th
Fort Ticonderoga. Photo Credit Carl Heilman.
Fort Ticonderoga opens for the 2014 season on Saturday, May 10, and will offer new programs, living history weekends, special events, exhibits, gardens, the Carillon Battlefield hiking trail, canoe rentals, and the new Mount Defiance experience. Guests will immerse themselves in nearly 2000 acres of exquisite landscape at Fort Ticonderoga to discover one of North America’s most epic stories of defiance, hope, and independence.
Recognized as a top destination in the Adirondacks by USA News Travel, Fort Ticonderoga connects all guests to a place and time that defined a continent, a nation, and its continued legacy.
2014 Highlights:
Visit Mount Defiance to witness a birds-eye view of Fort Ticonderoga’s epic military landscape and discover how this summit shaped America’s history! Mount Defiance: Witness to History Tour is offered daily at 4:00 pm.
Experience 1776 this year! Guests to Fort Ticonderoga will be immersed in the year 1776 when rebellion became revolution. Fort Ticonderoga’s interpretive staff will bring this dramatic and successful year at Ticonderoga to life as they portray Captain John Lacey’s company of the Fourth Pennsylvania Battalion. A variety of daily soldier’s activities, tours, musket demos and special family programming will immerse guests in the story of this remarkable year of independence.
Step into the shoe maker’s shop and tailor’s shop to explore how Fort Ticonderoga served as a major supply depot producing shoes and clothing for the thousands of soldiers camped at Ticonderoga. With needle and thread or awl and bristle discover what kinds of supplies were needed to build the army to secure liberty.
Fort Ticonderoga’s newest exhibit “Founding Fashion: The Diversity of Regularity in 18th- Century Military Clothing” highlights the most impressive 18th-century military clothing collection in America. Utilizing the most important elements of the museum’s clothing, art, and archeological collections, the exhibit will explore what military clothing is and how European military fashion and global commerce influenced American martial appearance through the American Revolution. Additional museum exhibits showing in 2014 include Bullets & Blades: The Weapons of America’s Colonial Wars and Revolution and “It Would Make a Heart of Stone Melt: Sickness, Injury, and Medicine at Fort Ticonderoga.”
Fort Ticonderoga is open daily from May 10 through November 2, 2014 from 9:30 am until 5 pm. General admission to Fort Ticonderoga, an independent non-profit organization, is $17.50 for adults, $15.00 for those 65 and over; and $8 for children 5 through 12. Children 4 and under are admitted free of charge. Friends of Fort Ticonderoga and Ticonderoga Resident Ambassador Pass holders are also admitted free.
Fort Ticonderoga offers more than one hundred exciting and unique events and programs this season! Visit www.FortTiconderoga.org for a full list of ongoing programs or call 518-585-2821. Funding for the 2014 season is provided in part by Amtrak. Visit http://www.fortticonderoga.org/visit/directions for a special 2 for 1 Amtrak offer!
Fort Ticonderoga Receives Award for Interpretive Programs
Photo: Stuart Lilie, Director of Interpretation at Fort Ticonderoga.
Fort Ticonderoga recently received an Innovation in Interpretation Award from the Museum Association of New York (MANY) which recognized Fort Ticonderoga as a leader in historic interpretation. The award was presented at MANY’s annual meeting in Albany, NY.
“Fort Ticonderoga Interpretative Department, developed in 2011, has in remarkably short time become a national leader in historical interpretation, setting and implementing unparalleled interpretive standards,” said Beth Hill, Fort Ticonderoga President and CEO. “The program outcomes under the leadership of Director of Interpretation Stuart Lilie have seen nothing less than amazing results in attendance, school field trip participation, and increased Scout attendance. Through the creation and implementation of a unique interpretive approach, Fort Ticonderoga has defied the professional trends and has embarked on a major transformation.”
“By highlighting a specific group of soldiers during a specific year in the Fort’s history, staff has been able to faithfully study and recreate the experiences of soldiers at Fort Ticonderoga,” said Stuart Lilie, Fort Ticonderoga Director of Interpretation. “Utilizing the wealth of resources in Fort Ticonderoga’s world renowned collections, staff is able to pattern garments, shoes, and accoutrement and faithfully reproduce the items for the upcoming season’s use.”
Each year Fort Ticonderoga highlights a specific moment in time –a specific year and regiment that served at the Fort. In doing so, Fort Ticonderoga has become the only site in the world to take this unique and defining approach, which allows for staff to faithfully research a topic, develop the associated reproduction material culture, and present a dynamic and innovative living history program each year to its guests. The annual seasonal narrative informs interpretive activities such as fatigue duty, gardening, foodways, and trades. The outcome of this revolutionary approach has resulted in significant growth in new marketing opportunities (each year is new at Fort Ticonderoga!), increased and repeat attendance, and a 54% growth in Friends membership to Fort Ticonderoga since 2011.
The new program debuted in 2011 with the 1759 experience of Massachusetts Provincials. In 2012 staff interpreted the 1775 experience of Connecticut troops and in 2013 the 1755 experiences of French soldiers from the Languedoc Regiment. In 2014, the interpretive focus will be on the Fourth Pennsylvania Regiment at Ticonderoga during the year 1776.
LGA Celebrates Read Across America Day
The Lake George Association’s Executive Director, Walt Lender, reads to second graders at St. Mary’s School in Ticonderoga.
Today, March 3, 2014, is the NEA’s Read Across America Day, which celebrates Dr. Seuss’s birthday and the joys of reading, More than 45 million readers, both young and old, are expected to pick up a book and read today.
LGA’s Executive Director Walt Lender put aside his director’s hat for a bit this morning to don the ultimate reading hat, the red and white striped stovepipe made famous by the Cat in the Hat. To help celebrate the sixteenth annual celebration of reading and Dr. Seuss’s 110th birthday Lender began the day by reading to the second graders at St. Mary’s School in Ticonderoga. The class was well prepared and excited for his arrival – with their ‘Cat in the Hat’ hats all on.
Lender read a book about watersheds titled ‘Follow the Water from Brook to Ocean’ that teaches children about how water shapes the earth and why it is important to keep our water clean. After he was done reading, they had a lively discussion about Lake George and how special it is. The timing was great too, as the class will be starting to learn about the water cycle in coming weeks. “I’m just glad to have had the chance to read to the kids this morning. Their energy and excitement and interest in learning are a big part of why we do what we do at the LGA. We want to protect the Lake for them – so they can enjoy it years from now,” said Lender.
Now For Some History: 1871
Caption Reads: Mt. Defiance, from Ft Ticonderoga, 1871.
I have my brother, Al, to thank for this picture of Mt. Defiance from 1871. My brother’s infinite Borgesian library of local history items was started before I even became interested in history, which should say it all. Since we were children, Al was collecting everything local that he could get his hands on. He pulls things out now and then to let me know he’s been doing this longer than I have!
Fort Ticonderoga was still in ruins when this picture was taken.
Click on item to see full-scale.