Thurs July 15: Bonus day in Ticonderoga

 In which Rick has his way with the blog, and history ...

Rick here:

We/I have mentioned previously the importance of the Hudson River Valley's key role as a transportation corridor from the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Atlantic Ocean down to the major population centers of the New America (New York, Boston, Philadelphia are all south, near and easily reachable by water).   Not surprisingly, this area also played a major role in the military history of the United States.  I was very interested in visiting Fort Ticonderoga so we could tour the fort and learn about the part Lake Champlain played.

Fort Ticonderoga.  Ticonderoga is an Iroquois word meaning 'land between waters', and the town itself does lie between Lake George and Lake Champlain.

Lake Champlain was named after a French trapper/trader, Samuel de Champlain, who encountered the lake in 1609.  The Ticonderoga area became very important as the portage point (point where boats and goods were moved over land) between Lake Champlain and Lake George.  This allowed traders and armies almost uninterrupted travel by water (or ice in the winter) down to the important cities of the new world. Then followed a long history that led to the French and Indian War from about 1755 to 1762, when the French built Fort Carillon but then lost the fort (and the war) to the British/American colonists who renamed it Fort Ticonderoga.   Thereafter the Fort became an important actor in the American Revolution, and multiple battles were fought at the fort and on Lake Champlain.   Many historians say that the major turning point of the war happened in 1777 at the battle of Saratoga where the Americans bested the British after having lost a major naval battle on the lake.   

The fort is wonderfully preserved and houses one of the largest collections of revolutionary war artifacts in the world.  There are over 180 artillery pieces, a multi-building museum and live re-enactments of musket and cannon firing and fife and drum music.  It was an all day outing. 

These high school kids looked less than thrilled to have this (hot) summer job.

Look at all the famous people who came to the fort!

It's so 'Last of the Mohicans' - remember the part where they come across the murdered family....???

As we did not have a car it was fortunate that Melanie befriended a couple who invited us to drive with them up to the top of neighboring Mount Defiance.   About 2 miles from the main fort, Mt. Defiance offers a very commanding view of the whole area and was an important piece of the defense network used by both the British and the new Americans. 

 

Pano view

 

After a long day of history we walked back to the little dock where we had left the dinghy.  We motored back to the boat and put our feet up to reflect on the amazing role that this area has played in our history. 

Mel here: actually, some of us were reflecting on the fact that this is more our kind of history...