The Bridge to 1777 living history event on Saturday, March 4, 2023
Experience Fort Ticonderoga in the beauty of winter during the next Winter Quarters living history event The Bridge to 1777 on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
The event will bring to life the story of American soldiers at Ticonderoga in March 1777, as they raced against time to prepare for the next British attack on Lake Champlain. Tours, weapons demonstrations, historic trades, fife and drum performances, and other programs will be presented throughout the day.
Meet the American soldiers at Ticonderoga who labored on land and ice to build a strong bridge across Lake Champlain, connecting both halves of the camp and blocking the big boats of the Royal Navy. Imagine the massive scale of this bridge, as soldiers shape and notch logs to the actual size of bridge timbers from the bottom of Lake Champlain. Discover this difficult and dangerous work and explore the myriad of military preparations afoot in March 1777. Handle the components of a musket lock as armorers repair these weapons for soldiers in the coming campaign. Hear the sounds of the fifes and drums that regulated the day and the orders issued by Colonel Anthony Wayne to maintain order for this winter garrison. Explore the market, where civilians sold edible essentials and meet the women whose service was vital to the health of the soldiers.
“The bridge across Lake Champlain was a massive undertaking in 1777,” said Stuart Lilie, Fort Ticonderoga Vice President of Public History. “The scale, as well as danger of this work, is impressive, as the piers for this bridge connecting Ticonderoga and Mount Independence remain at the bottom of Lake Champlain to this very day.”
**Appropriate footwear is highly recommended for undetermined walking conditions**
Bring your family along to experience this exciting living history event during Fort Ticonderoga’s new schedule of programs during Winter Quarters season. From now through April, visitors will be immersed in a more intimate experience at Fort Ticonderoga. From living history events, insightful seminars, specialty programs, and hands-on workshops, guests can explore Fort Ticonderoga during what was traditionally the “Winter Quarters” season for armies of the 18th century.
The visitor schedule can be found here.
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 75,000 visitors each year with an economic impact of more than $12 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. © The Fort Ticonderoga Association. 2023 All Rights Reserved.