Building the Giberne, Part 1
One of the essential articles needed to portray soldiers of the Languedoc regiment at Ticonderoga in 1755 are cartridge pouches. These cartridge pouches or, ‘cartouches,’ were properly called, ‘gibernes,‘ for French regular army soldiers. Much like English cartridge pouches; these gibernes were carried slung on leather belts from the left shoulder, and hung down near […]
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 […]
Children’s Garden Offers Something For Everyone
A plot that was once part of the vegetable and cutting gardens for the Pell summer home, and before that a soldier’s garden that helped feed 18th-century troops, is now utilized as our Children’s Garden. This 50×50 garden includes flowing internal pathways, topiaries, kid-sized chairs and thematic plantings to help children and adults learn […]
Maurice de Saxe and Canadian Clothing
While General Montcalm is the most famous and influential French officer in North America, on the continent of Europe, Marshall-General Maurice de Saxe was France’s most famous and successful officer during the middle of the 18th century. Like many officers in the French Army, he was of foreign birth, a son of the Elector of […]
“In sight of the ruins, a quarter mile distant…” Part 4
The story of a visit to Fort Ticonderoga in 1872. Part 4, Conclusion; there is always something new to discover! Seneca Ray Stoddard’s narrative of his visit to Ticonderoga and related stereo photographs provide unique documentation regarding how people traveled to the site and what could be seen as visitors explored the ruins. Occasionally, however, […]
William Ferris Pell, Horticulturalist
When William Ferris Pell purchased the 546-acre Garrison Grounds encompassing the ruins of Fort Ticonderoga in 1820, he preserved the remaining stonework of the Fort and began shaping the landscape surrounding the summer home he built nearby. Set in a pastoral landscape, the site was described as reminiscent of “park scenery of England; and the view of the ruins from […]
“In sight of the ruins, a quarter mile distant…” Part 3
The story of a visit to Fort Ticonderoga in 1872. Part 3, The ruins. After a short visit to the Fort Ticonderoga Hotel, Stoddard begins his tour of the Fort retracing the route, as he understood it to be, that Ethan Allen followed when capturing the Fort in 1775. In setting out on his […]
A New Year’s Resolution that Will be Fun to Keep
Many of us make New Year’s Resolution this time of year, only to discover by the end of January that most (or all) of them have fallen by the wayside. I’d like to encourage you to make a resolution that will be a pleasure to keep—why not try participating in one educational program at Fort […]
Raising Montcalm’s Cross
Young and old are fascinated by great battles in history. In addition to these generic themes of the roar of cannons, musketry, and grim statistics, every battle has a unique story. It is these unique stories that have filled the imaginations of armchair generals and casual history buffs alike for centuries. Fort Ticonderoga has been […]
Diana in the King’s Garden
In the center of the King’s Garden rests the bronze sculpture, The Young Diana, that depicts Roman mythology’s goddess of the hunt. Displayed on a pedestal in the reflecting pool, the statue is located on a cross-axis and serves as a focal point when viewed from the garden entrances. It was a gift from museum […]