Fort Ticonderoga is proud to announce that is has been awarded a $10,000 grant by the National Trust for Historic Preservation from the Johanna Favrot Fund for Historic Preservation, which will support the first formal assessment of Fort Ticonderoga’s Log House as a historic structure.
The Log House is considered to be one of the oldest continuously run road houses in America. The structure’s story is intricately woven into Fort Ticonderoga’s monumental restoration story. For over ninety years the Log House has been the location where guests began their visit to Fort Ticonderoga. The log structure mimics 19th-century Adirondack Great Camp architecture and provides a breathtaking vista of Fort Ticonderoga’s historic landscape. Its construction began in 1920, replacing a simple shed constructed several years before to capture site admission fees. As visitation increased, the Log House was no longer large enough to meet the needs of the growing organization. By World War II an addition was built on the west end of the building, approximately doubling the size of the structure, which allowed for an increase in retail space and the addition of a soda fountain to provide refreshments and light meals for visitors. In the post war decades, visitation to the site dramatically increased. By the late 1960s the Log House was again too small to meet the growing demands of the site’s visitors. In the winter of 1972-1973 the museum undertook another expansion of the structure expanding the restaurant overlooking Lake Champlain and adding new restroom facilities. The building’s configuration today dates to the 1972-1973 renovation. The Log House has always served a visitor service role and today contains Fort Ticonderoga’s museum store, café, restrooms and guest services desk.
Fort Ticonderoga will work with John G. Waite Associates, Architects, in the fall of 2015 to take a comprehensive look at the physical fabric of the Log House in an effort to document and understand the current state of the building and identify the various phases of the building’s evolution. The goal of this process is to fully understand the chronological evolution of the Log House and its structural condition so that an informed decision can be made regarding the building’s future use. The Log House has never been studied as a historic structure and this will be the first formal assessment of the building.
“We are extremely honored and delighted to receive such a prestigious grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation,” said Beth Hill, President and CEO of Fort Ticonderoga. “We are committed to preserving and interpreting our historic structures across our 2000 acre museum campus and are particularly pleased to have the opportunity to analyze and research the Log House structure. Fort Ticonderoga guests have begun their experience at the Log House for nearly a century and today we are, for the first time, exploring the historical significance of the structure and its story.”
“Organizations like Fort Ticonderoga help to ensure that communities and towns all across America retain their unique sense of place,” said Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “We are honored to provide a grant to Fort Ticonderoga, which will use the funds to help preserve an important piece of our shared national heritage.”
Grants from the National Trust Preservation Funds range from $2,500 to $5,000 and have provided over $15 million since 2003. These matching grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations and public agencies across the country to support wide-ranging activities including consultant services for rehabilitating buildings, technical assistance for tourism that promotes historic resources, and the development of materials for education and outreach campaigns.
Fort Ticonderoga has also received grants from the Gerry Charitable Trust and the Preservation League of New York State to support the Log House Structure Report. The Technical Assistance Grant Program through the Preservation League of New York State is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
About Fort Ticonderoga: America’s Fort TM
The Fort Ticonderoga Association is an independent not-for-profit educational organization which serves its mission to ensure that present and future generations learn from the struggles, sacrifices, and victories that shaped the nations of North America and changed world history. It serves this mission by preserving and enhancing its historic structures, collections, gardens and landscapes; and educating the public as it learns about the history of Fort Ticonderoga. Welcoming visitors since 1909, it preserves North America’s largest 18th-century artillery collection, 2000 acres of historic landscape on Lake Champlain, and Carillon Battlefield, and the largest series of untouched 18th-century earthworks surviving in America. Fort Ticonderoga engages more than 70,000 visitors each year, and annually reaches more than 5,000 people in outreach programs. Fort Ticonderoga offers programs, historic interpretation, boat cruises, tours, demonstrations, and exhibits throughout the year and is open for daily visitation May through November. Fort Ticonderoga is accredited by the American Association of Museums and pursues its vision to be the premier cultural destination in North America. Visit www.FortTiconderoga.org for a full list of ongoing programs or call 518-585-2821. Fort Ticonderoga is located at 100 Fort Ti Road, Ticonderoga, New York.
America’s Fort is a registered trademark of the Fort Ticonderoga Association.
About the National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately-funded nonprofit organization that works to save America’s historic places to enrich our future. The National Trust for Historic Preservation is committed to protecting America’s rich cultural legacy and helping build vibrant, sustainable communities that reflect our nation’s diversity.