A Layered Legacy

A Layered Legacy. . , This fertile plain was once the floor of a prehistoric sea that receded to create Lake Champlain. When the French built Fort Carillon, known to the English as Ticonderoga, these rich lowlands supported a large garden to supplement the limited rations issued to the soldiers. As the fort changed hands during the conflicts of the 18th century the gardens nourished each army that held the peninsula – French, British and American. The ground went fallow following the Revolution, as the military value of the site diminished., The ruins of the fort and the natural landscape attracted the attention of merchant William Ferris Pell who purchased the land in 1820. In the same soil that had nurtured the garrison gardens Pell planted an extensive arboretum. The Pell family eventually rented the Pavilion and its surrounding land to a series of tenants who ran it as a hotel, welcoming guests from coaches and from an adjacent steamboat dock. The hotel and a farm supporting it operated for the rest of the 19th century., While the hotel ceased operation around the turn of the 20th century a tenant farmer worked much of the land until the restoration of the fort’s ruins in 1909 brought more attention to the area. Stephen H.P. Pell and his wife Sarah G.T. Pell, responsible for the restoration, made the Pavilion their summer home and planted extensive private gardens., The King’s Garden represents both the richness of the land and Ticonderoga’s enduring draw. Whether providing nutrients to soldiers from around the world, bringing joy to the Pells and their guests, or captivating generations of visitors, this legacy is a testament to the power of this place.