Daniel Dwight’s Powder Horn
One of the most interesting genres of American art that survives from 18th century America is the engraved powder horn. Horns fashioned for carrying gunpowder were supplied to military troops in both the French & Indian War and American Revolution. Soldiers often engraved or carved designs on their horns, perhaps as a way of memorializing […]
Dendrochronology: Using Tree Rings to Answer Questions about the Pavilion’s Past
In the summer of 2013 with support from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Fort Ticonderoga began an in-depth study of the structural history of the Pavilion. Oral history tells us that the Pavilion was built in 1826 by William Ferris Pell and occupied by his family until about 1840. From the early 1840s through […]
Beautiful Brassicas
Brassica refers to a genus of plants in the mustard family, sometimes refered to as cole crops or cruciferous vegetables. A few examples are cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale and broccoli. These crops are important sources of vitamin C, fiber, and other micronutrients that support good heatlth. The military gardens at Fort Ticonderoga in the 18th century included generous […]
New Clues to Fort Ticonderoga’s Past from Old Photos
From time to time people donate old pictures of Fort Ticonderogato the museum. This often happens when people are sorting through the possessions of passed love ones seeking to disperse a lifetime of accumulated effects. More often that not, the photographs are undated and loosely organized. Occasionally, however, there is information associated with the images […]
Children’s Garden Design: The Sunflower House
Common name: Sunflower Botanical name: Helianthus annuus Family: Asteraceae Plant type: Herbaceous annual Blooms: Late summer to autumn The sunflower is native to the Americas. There is evidence that it was grown domestically as early as 2600 B.C. in Mexico. The large flower heads consist of showy outer ray flowers and fertile disc flowers that mature into […]
Fort Ticonderoga’s Art Collections and Exhibition
Fort Ticonderoga is well known for its 18th-century military collections and vast library and archival collections, but few people realize that it preserves an important art collection as well. From the very beginning of the museum’s collecting endeavors, obtaining art in the form of portraits of people associated with the site’s history, depictions of events […]
“The accommodations are first class but limited” Fort Ticonderoga’s Little-Known 19th-Century Hotel
Fort Ticonderoga is best known for its military structures and associated history, but what many people do not realize is that the site played a very important role in the history of 19th-century American tourism. Once steamboat travel became the principle mode of transport on New York’s northern lakes, Fort Ticonderoga became the location where […]
Robert Fairchild and His Powder Horn
Powder horns are unique artifacts in that they have the ability to speak to a single person’s 18th-century military service unlike most other objects. Muskets, swords, and other similar items, though important, are rarely able to connect people today nearly face-to-face with an individual person from the past. What makes powder horns so interesting, and […]
King’s Garden Volunteers Welcome
It’s always a pleasure to discover a plant growing in an unexpected place among purposefully placed plants in the garden. These “volunteers” are nature’s gift to the gardener, the product of prolific re-seeders, birds or small mammals leaving seeds behind, or a gust of wind carrying seeds from outside the garden. It is not uncommon […]
Ready, Set, Garden!
The word “spring” conjures up many pictures – green grass, the arrival of migrating songbirds, warm sunshine, and of course, flowers! Classics like tulips, daffodils, and grape hyacinths are starting to peek through the soil to color the landscape. These bulbs are planted in the fall and are a great source of satisfaction for […]