McGregor Clan: Ft. Ticonderoga

10 August 2009

We drove up to Ft. Ticonderoga while on our vacation to upstate NY. It was a really nice drive and I was so eager to see the fort and learn about its history. I was not disappointed. I enjoyed walking the grounds and learning the history of this National Landmark that was built sometime between 1755 and 1759.

I wanted to include a little history about the fort so that you could all understand its significance in American history:

It was strategically built by the French with the hopes of controlling Lake Champlain, the North face of Vermont and also it is at this point that Lake George enter Lake Champlain via a small river. Whoever controlled this region would in essence control north-south waterway. So the greatest victory of the Seven Year War was fought and won by the French at this garrison.

Later in 1775, at the onset of the American Revolution the first American victory came at Ft. Ticonderoga when the American troops surprised a small amount of sleeping soldiers and hence, the Americans gained control of the fort and the northern region. It was taken over once more by both the British and the Americans before being completely abandoned in the late 18th century.

It remained abandoned and was pillaged by people in the region until 1820 when it was purchased by an entrepreneur and later turned into a hotel. It was eventually donated to a non profit organization who still holds the rights to the fort and the garrison grounds.

So if any of you are ever in upstate NY or Northern Vermont I highly recommend seeing this great piece of American history.