Fort Ticonderoga

  The French finished construction of this fort in 1757. Like other forts along the borders of British and French territories it was built to protect the fur trading routes. The French successfully defended the fort in 1758 but lost it to the British a year later. The Green Mountain Boys captured it in 1775 and shipped the fort’s canons to Boston where they were used to help end the Siege of Boston . Two years later it was back in British hands. At the conclusion of the Revolutionary war the fort was abandon and local people salvaged the stones for their own use. In 1820 New York merchant William Ferris Pell bought the property and built a summer home where the fort’s garrison gardens had been located. In 1909 Pell’s great-grandson, Stephen H.P. Pell, restored the fort which had been just a ruins since the British destroyed it when they left in 1777. He also founded the Fort Ticonderoga Association in 1931 which still manages the fort today.

  The restoration of the fort has been very well done. Interpreters in period dress demonstrate different aspects of the lives of soldiers living in the fort. Many of the rooms in the fort have exhibits and historic artifacts including some pieces owned by George Washington. The Pell summer home isn’t opened for touring due to it’s deteriorating  condition. Touring the gardens that the Pells designed is included in the fort admission fee. If you use an Entertainment Book coupon enter Ticonderoga, New York for the city in the search box.

  The fort and gardens have a very limited amount of accessible areas. The sally port paving is broken up and very rough. The Deborah Clarke Mars Education Center, located inside the fort, is accessible. All of the other exhibit rooms have steps at the entrance or are on the upper level. The garden paths are paved with very rough and damaged bricks. Because of the high price of the tickets I don’t recommend visiting this fort if you can’t climb stairs.

  The parking lots at the fort and at the gardens are large enough for RVs.  Fort     43.84287, -73.389