Lake Placid, Plattsburgh, and the New York Eastern Adirondacks - Lake Placid NY Off the Beaten Path

Preview: Fort Ticonderoga, which stands on a promontory jutting into the southern end of Lake Champlain, was built by the French in 1755 when the colonial administration in Quebec needed a southern defense in its struggle against Great Britain for control of Canada. Called Fort Carillon, it was built of earth and timbers in the classic French fortress design, and later upgraded to stone, with four pointed bastions presenting an interlocking field of fire against attackers. In 1758 the Marquis de Montcalm repelled a massive attack by the British, but a year later Lord Jeffrey Amherst captured the fort and renamed it “Ticonderoga.” Seventeen years later—three weeks after the Battles of Lexington and Concord—Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold captured “Fort Ti” from the British “in the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress,” giving the Americans their first victory of the revolution. Last garrisoned in 1777, Fort Ti might be little more than a roadside marker had it not been for the efforts of the Pell family to protect the site since 1820 and the commitment of Stephen and Sarah Pell to restore it beginning in 1908. At today’s handsome reconstruction, guides in eighteenth-century clothing and a host of events, such as live artillery demonstrations and fife and drum musters, help bring the fort to life. Visitors can stride along the ramparts, view the earthworks built during both the French and Indian Wars and the American Revolution, examine the barracks, and visit the museum, which houses North America’s largest collection of eighteenth-century artillery as well as paintings, furniture, and military memorabilia. Just outside the fort is the battlefield where, in 1758, Montcalm devastated the 42nd Highland (“Black Watch”) Regiment. Tours of the 600-acre garrison grounds, offered daily, include the “King’s Garden,” a 1920s-era formal flower garden, and demonstration vegetable gardens including a Native American garden, children’s garden, and garrison garden. Throughout the season there are numerous special events, including a Grand Encampment of the French and Indian War in late June, a Memorial Military Tattoo the weekend following the Fourth of July, and a Revolutionary War Encampment in September. Call for information. The above description is an excerpt from "New York: Off the Beaten Path." Whether you're a visitor or a local looking for something different, this chapter from the Off the Beaten Path series will help you take the "road less traveled" and discover hidden attractions, unique finds, and unusual locales that most tourists miss.
© Copyright William G. and Kay Scheller published by Insiders' Guide all rights reserved.


This travel guide comes from:
New York Off the Beaten Path Guide Book