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“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Ticonderoga in Essex County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Historic Waterways

 
 
Historic Waterways Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, November 10, 2018
1. Historic Waterways Marker
Inscription.
Lake Champlain, 125-miles long, flows northward into the Richelieu River which, in turn, flows into the St. Lawrence River. From Ticonderoga, the lake stretches another 25 miles south to its end near present-day Whitehall, New York.

During the 18th century, the rivers and lakes of the region served as the interstate highways of the time. Whoever controlled the waterways controlled the surrounding territory. Lake Champlain served as a key link in the network of rivers and lakes connecting Quebec City to the north with New York City to the south.

Fort Ticonderoga guards the portage to Lake George, located four miles away on the other side of Mount Defiance. The primary travel route south from Ticonderoga was to portage (cross over land) to Lake George, sail the 32-mile length of the lake, and portage twelve miles overland to the Hudson River at Fort Edward.

Mount Defiance
Mount Defiance, rising nearly 900 feet in elevation a mile to the southwest, is Fort Ticonderoga’s Achilles heel. During the American Revolution (1775-1783), British forces under Lieutenant-General John Burgoyne managed to place artillery atop the mountain. A startled American army, under Major General Arthur St. Clair, was forced to evacuate Ticonderoga and Mount Independence on July 5, 1777, allowing the British to retake the fort two
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years after it fell into American hands.

Mount Independence
Mount Independence, on the Vermont shore, was cleared and fortified by American forces during the summer and fall of 1776. Fort Ticonderoga, when originally built by the French, was designed to defend against attacks from the south. In 1776, the Americans anticipated a British attack from Canada to the north. Mount Independence strengthened the fort’s defenses against such an attack. By October 1776, about two-thirds of the American troops at Ticonderoga were encamped on Mount Independence.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: War, US RevolutionaryWaterways & Vessels.
 
Location. 43° 50.511′ N, 73° 23.333′ W. Marker is in Ticonderoga, New York, in Essex County. Marker can be reached from Sandy Redoubt. Marker is located near the front of Fort Ticonderoga. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Ticonderoga NY 12883, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. History of Fort Ticonderoga (within shouting distance of this marker); Fort Ticonderoga (within shouting distance of this marker); Fort Carillon (within shouting distance of this marker); Split 13-inch Mortar (within shouting distance of this marker); Colonel John Brown
Historic Waterways Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, November 10, 2018
2. Historic Waterways Marker
(within shouting distance of this marker); 200th Anniversary of Washington’s Inspection (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); 150th Anniversary of the Capture of This Fort (about 300 feet away); Gen. Henry Knox Trail (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ticonderoga.
 
More about this marker. A map of Lake Champlain, indicating the location of Fort Ticonderoga, appears on the left side of the marker.
A map on the right side of the marker depicts an “Aerial view showing Fort Ticonderoga, Lake Champlain, Mount Defiance and Lake George.”
Also on the marker is “A Map of the Country Between Crown Point and Fort Edward. This map shows the critical water routes connecting Lake Champlain and the Hudson River. While it was possible to continue from Ticonderoga to the southern end of Lake Champlain and then portage overland to Fort Edward on the Hudson River, traveling by Lake George was the preferred route during the 18th century.”
 
Historic Waterways Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, November 10, 2018
3. Historic Waterways Marker
Lake Champlain can be seen behind the marker.
Mount Defiance image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, November 10, 2018
4. Mount Defiance
The summit of Mount Defiance is seen here from near the marker.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on November 11, 2018. It was originally submitted on November 11, 2018, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 210 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 11, 2018, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.

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Mar. 28, 2024