Fort Ticonderoga celebrates Family History Month this October with the genealogy initiative Ticonderoga Soldiers Project. The project was launched because of a dramatic increase in genealogical interest and inquiries related to soldiers who served at Ticonderoga during the 18th century.
The Ticonderoga Soldiers Project is a multi-phase initiative aimed at making it easier for people around the world to connect with their family’s history at Ticonderoga. To achieve this goal, Fort Ticonderoga Museum staff are scouring recently-digitized archival documents including military orders, returns, court documents, letters, and diaries to identify and document the thousands of individuals who were stationed at Fort Ticonderoga from 1755 to 1783. This project has been made possible in part by the generous support of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Additional support for documenting pre-Revolutionary archival records is made possible in part by the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of New York and the General Society of Colonial Wars.
“The museum’s archival documents offer glimpses into the lives of people who were a part of the 18th-century conflicts here at Ticonderoga,” said Miranda Peters, Fort Ticonderoga Museum Vice President of Collections. “Through this project, we are creating a bridge between the past and the present, whether you’re just beginning your family history research or interested in learning more about the many people who were stationed at Fort Ticonderoga in the 18th century, the Ticonderoga Soldiers Project offers invaluable insights and resources to support you.”
“The DAR continues to be delighted with our collaboration with Fort Ticonderoga on this exciting genealogical project!” said Pamela Wright, President General of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. “We look forward to welcoming new members who have researched their family history through the collections.”
With Fort Ticonderoga’s newly improved online collections database, users can search for ancestors stationed at Fort Ticonderoga in just a few clicks. As individuals are identified in Ticonderoga’s archival collections and basic biographical information is gathered, archival staff add this content to museum records, along with a transcription if one exists. There are over 5,000 people currently listed in the database. This number will continue to grow as additional archival documents are processed and more individuals are identified in Fort Ticonderoga’s collections.
For more information about how to search in the database and additional information about conducting genealogy research at Fort Ticonderoga, visit the Genealogy page on our website.
About Fort Ticonderoga:
Welcoming visitors since 1909, Fort Ticonderoga is a major cultural destination, museum, historic site, and center for learning. As a multi-day destination and the premier place to learn more about North America’s military heritage, Fort Ticonderoga engages more than 70,000 visitors each year with an economic impact of more than $16 million annually. Presenting vibrant programs, historic interpretation, boat cruises, tours, demonstrations, and exhibits, Fort Ticonderoga and is open for daily visitation May through October and special programs during Winter Quarters, November through April. Fort Ticonderoga is owned by The Fort Ticonderoga Association, a 501c3 non-profit educational organization, and is supported in part through generous donations and with some general operating support made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts. To view Fort Ticonderoga’s electronic press kit, click here. © The Fort Ticonderoga Association. 2024 All Rights Reserved.