Ticonderoga
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Sandwiched in the two miles between Lake George and Lake Champlain lies Ticonderoga—the town and the fort. The town sits at the foot of Lake George; the fort overlooks Lake Champlain.
Sprawling, scruffy Ticonderoga centers around a historic downtown containing several interesting buildings. Among them is the Heritage Museum (Montcalm St. at Bicentennial Park, 518/585-2696, July–Sept., call for hours), which houses displays on the area’s industrial history.
Traditionally, Ticonderoga has been known for its pencil and papermaking plants. The first commercial pencils—bearing the name Ticonderoga—were produced in the area in 1840; still operating in town is International Paper.
Fort Ticonderoga
One of the Adirondacks’ most popular visitor attractions, Fort Ticonderoga (Fort Rd./Rte. 74, 518/585-2821, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. daily May–Oct., call for off-season hours, adults $15, seniors and students $13.50, children 7–11 $7), sits within a shade-filled park. Originally built by the French in 1755, the fort bore the nickname “Key to a Continent.”
Strategically located along the Canada–New York waterway, Ticonderoga was attacked six times during the French and Indian and Revolutionary Wars. Three times it successfully held, and three times it fell. France, Great Britain, and the Americans all once held control. The Log House Restaurant, onsite, serves reasonably priced healthy homemade food from breakfast to late lunch, with great views.
Inside the fort are meticulously restored barracks, kitchens, stables, cannons, and artifacts pertaining to both wars. Among the more unusual items on display are a lock of George Washington’s hair, a pocket watch once owned by Ethan Allen, and a rum horn given to Gen. Schuyler by Paul Revere. Throughout the summer, numerous special events are staged daily, including parades, cannon firings, and fife-and-drum musters.
Fort Ticonderoga Ferry
Continue east past the fort on Route 74 to reach a public boat ramp and dock for the sleepy Fort Ticonderoga Ferry (802/897-7999), in operation in one form or another since the mid-1700s. May–October, the flatbed ferry crosses whenever there’s traffic to Shoreham, Vermont. The low-key journey only takes a few minutes ($8 per car with up to four passengers one-way, $14 round-trip; $2 per bicycle and rider; $1 per biped).
© Avalon Travel and Sascha Zuger from Moon New York State, 5th Edition
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