The Village of Lake George, in New York, is known for its restaurants, stores, steamboat cruises, and even parasailing. But did you know it also played a pivotal role during the early history of the United States? That’s why during our visit, we picked up a map at the visitor center of “The Colonial Wars in Lake George” self-guided walking tour.
The maps are not out on display at the Lake George Village information center, but if you ask at the desk, they’ll happily give you one. Please note though that not all of the sites on the walking tour are dog friendly. However, it is filled with a wealth of information of events that took place along Lake George, during the French and Indian War (also known as the Seven Years War), and the American Revolution. This 3.3 miles round trip tour covers approximately the years 1755 to 1780, and takes about 2 hours to do if you visit all the sites.
What led us to Lake George was Dad’s interest in Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Rogers, a frontiersman and British army officer, whose exploits with the Rogers’ Rangers are legendary throughout the Lake George and Lake Champlain region. Although not specifically mentioned in this walking tour, trust me, you’re going to be hearing his name a lot in the days to come as I share stories about his exploits at places we visited. But for now I’ll leave you with Robert Rogers worked closely with allied Native Americans, as depicted in this sculpture of a scouting mission in Lake George.
Today the shores of Lake George are lined with pontoon boats. However, below these waters is the Sunken Fleet, where in 1758 in order to avoid plundering by French raiding parties, the British sank 260 Bateaux, a flat-bottom boat used for utilitarian purposes; the Sloop Halifax; and the Radeau Land Tortoise, which was a floating gun battery outfitted with cannons. Some of these were recovered and reused, while others remained at the bottom of the lake. Today these are part of the New York State Submerged Heritage Preserves, and can be visited by scuba divers with permission.
On the June day we visited, you may think all the focus on the water was because it was made of gold. But its golden hue is only because it is pollen season here. However, control of the water was priceless during Colonial times, because water served as the commercial “highway” for trade. The French commanded the St. Lawrence River, while the British had the Hudson, Manhattan, and Albany Rivers. What they both wanted was control over Lake George and Lake Champlain for this important trade corridor. Today rather than warships on patrol, you’ll find a fleet of steamboats offering tours of the history and geology of the region. Along with the steamboats are other boats vying for tourist dollars. Therefore, the commercial value of this lake continues!
High on a hill above Lake George Village is Fort William Henry. Constructed in 1755 by the British, it was an earthwork fort, built in just 44 days by approximately 500 to 1,000 people, with 17 foot tall walls that were up to 30 feet thick. However, the original fort didn’t last long. It was seized by the French in 1757 and burned to the ground. What you see today is the restored fort, that is open for tours. Please note though dogs are not allowed at Fort William Henry, and therefore must admire it from afar.
Dogs are also not allowed at Lake George Battlefield Park, which has many areas of interest on “The Colonial Wars in Lake George” self-guided tour. However, it being a warm day, instead we found a shady spot to sit at the waterfront, to enjoy the views, while Mom and Dad took turns reading from the tour map.
We found this self-guided walking tour to be a great way to orient ourselves to the events of the French and Indian War and American Revolution in the Lake George area. Please join me in the weeks ahead as I continue to share more of our walk through history in the Adirondack Region of New York. For more information about this tour and a PDF copy, please visit the Lake George Battlefield Park Alliance.
