Ticonderoga

Ticonderoga is a town in the Adirondacks that borders both Lake George and Lake Champlain.

Understand
Ticonderoga is situated on a high promontory overlooking the LaChute River, which connects Lake George and Lake Champlain, giving it an important strategic location. It was a boundary marker from the earliest days. According to historians, native tribes met and fought at this location prior to European settlement. Samuel de Champlain, accompanied by Mohawks, fired upon the Iroquois here in 1609. The French and the British battled here, and the Loyalists and Patriots struggled here during the American Revolution.

Ticonderoga is unique in Essex County for its graphite business. The ore, in a very pure form, was discovered on Lead Mountain in 1815. Its first general use was for polishing stoves which were replacing fireplaces. In 1839, a patent was issued to a local entrepreneur for lead pencils. American Graphite Company made the Ticonderoga Pencil famous; the brand still exists today (as "Dixon Ticonderoga") but is no longer made in the USA.

Fire laid waste to the town in 1875 as they prepared to celebrate the centennial of Ethan Allen’s capture of the Fort during the Revolution. In 1976, the bicentennial was celebrated with a re-enactment of the takeover of the Fort by the Patriots at the same time of night as the original siege. Tourists in southern Essex County can follow an historic trail in Ticonderoga to The Black Watch Library, a Carnegie Library, to the Hancock House, a replica of John Hancock’s Boston home.

By car
The best way in is by car - fill up the tank, because there is quite a distance between stops, and gas stations can be tough to find. The city can be accessed via the Northway (Interstate 87) from both the south (Albany) and north (Plattsburgh/Montreal).

By train

 * Train operator:
 * Route stopping at Ticonderoga:
 * Adirondack operating daily between Montreal and New York City including stops along the way in Saint-Lambert, Rouses Point, Plattsburgh, Westport, Ticonderoga, Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, Albany (Rensselaer), Hudson, Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie, Croton-on-Hudson, and Yonkers.

There is one daily Amtrak service, the Adirondack between New York City and Montreal. Both north and southbound trains depart early afternoon.

Get around
Like most Adirondack towns, the transportation infrastructure is non-existent. Cars are required for travel.

Do

 * Ticonderoga Festival Guild, +1 518-984-0088. The Ticonderoga Festival Guild provides a diverse arts program year-round. In summer, the Guild presents performances by jazz, folk, and big band acts from around the country.
 * Ticonderoga Golf & Country Club, Route 9N, 518-585-2801. Season: April 15 - October 31. Holes: 18, Par: 71, Yards: 6,287; Men's Slope: 120, Men's Rating: 69.7, Women's Slope: 115, Women's Rating: 69.4. Pro shop, carts, rentals, lessons, restaurant, cocktail lounge. Course/Additional Amenities: Designed by Seymour Dunn and established is 1925, this course is in the historic Lord Howe valley.
 * Ticonderoga Heritage Museum, Montcalm Street, Bicentennial Park, 518-585-2696. The Ticonderoga Heritage Museum is in downtown Ticonderoga. Situated in a lovely setting next to Bicentennial Park and the lower falls of the LaChute River, this charming brick building, constructed in 1888, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of the few examples of High Victorian architecture in Ticonderoga. It also represents an important part of Ticonderoga's industrial past, as it remains the sole remnant of the pulp and paper complex which dominated this part of the village for over one hundred years.
 * Ticonderoga Heritage Museum, Montcalm Street, Bicentennial Park, 518-585-2696. The Ticonderoga Heritage Museum is in downtown Ticonderoga. Situated in a lovely setting next to Bicentennial Park and the lower falls of the LaChute River, this charming brick building, constructed in 1888, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of the few examples of High Victorian architecture in Ticonderoga. It also represents an important part of Ticonderoga's industrial past, as it remains the sole remnant of the pulp and paper complex which dominated this part of the village for over one hundred years.

Eat

 * Fort View Inn, Montcalm Rd, +1 518-585-7767.
 * Fort View Inn, Montcalm Rd, +1 518-585-7767.
 * Fort View Inn, Montcalm Rd, +1 518-585-7767.
 * Fort View Inn, Montcalm Rd, +1 518-585-7767.

Go next

 * Chester on I-87 / US9 is thirty miles to the southwest; take 9N south to Hague, then turn west on NY route 8.
 * Vermont is directly across Lake Champlain