REAL TIME REVOLUTION® Living History Event: Benedict Arnold’s Command
As the nation gears up to celebrate its 250th anniversary, Fort Ticonderoga invites you to celebrate America’s 250th by stepping directly into history with its groundbreaking REAL TIME REVOLUTION™ initiative. Experience history as it happened 250 years ago to the moment during the immersive Living History Event, “Benedict Arnold’s Command,” on June 21-22, 2025. This unique event offers an unparalleled glimpse into American-held Fort Ticonderoga under the dynamic and complex leadership of Benedict Arnold in the crucial earliest days of the American Revolution, just after its capture secured the first major American victory.
Fort Ticonderoga’s REAL TIME REVOLUTION™ offers a truly unique experience, bringing visitors face-to-face with the past. Unlike any historic site experience, this program allows you to live the Revolution in real time, on the very days these pivotal events unfolded a quarter-millennium ago. As part of the America 250 commemoration, thrill at the roar of cannon as Arnold actively prepares artillery for the newly built American fleet on Lake Champlain. Hear the crackle of muskets and discover the inner workings of the diverse firearms carried by the citizen-soldiers garrisoning the fort through engaging weapons demonstrations. The vivid commotion of the Revolution will surround you as oxen carry supplies and women and civilians integral to the army repair bedding and other essentials within the barracks.
This unique living history weekend will powerfully highlight the complexities of leadership and Benedict Arnold’s significant early role. Witness highlighted vignettes showing investigators from Massachusetts arriving to interrogate Arnold about charges brought by his detractors. Experience the tension as Arnold’s own soldiers, desperate for back pay, even briefly confine him. Through this meticulously programmed real-time narrative, visitors will gain a first-hand understanding of how politics, burgeoning egos, and unclear lines of authority directly contributed to Arnold’s eventual decision to resign his Ticonderoga command – a crucial, yet often overlooked, chapter of his pre-treason story and the Revolution itself.
“As we approach America 250, understanding the complete story of figures like Benedict Arnold is essential. His early command at Ticonderoga showcases both his trademark boldness and the political naiveté that would define his checkered career,” said Stuart Lilie, Fort Ticonderoga Vice President of Public History. “Our ‘Real Time Revolution™ event, ‘Benedict Arnold’s Command,’ brings these critical, multifaceted aspects of his early Revolutionary story to life in a uniquely immersive way, right where these events transpired. It’s a powerful look at the Revolution as it truly was.”
A full line-up of activities and programs offered throughout the weekend includes daily tours within the fort, King’s Garden, and museum exhibition spaces; historic trades programs; ongoing living history programs; thrilling weapons demonstrations; narrated boat cruises on Lake Champlain; the Mount Defiance experience; and the Carillon Battlefield hiking trail. A full schedule can be found at www.fortticonderoga.org.
About REAL TIME REVOLUTION™
A Cornerstone of America 250 at Fort Ticonderoga Fort Ticonderoga’s REAL TIME REVOLUTION™ is a unique multi-year campaign and a central part of its America 250 commemoration. This initiative brings the critical years of 1775-1777 to life through daily living history programs and signature events, offering visitors an unparalleled day-by-day, moment-by-moment experience of the historic events surrounding the American Revolution. Running from 2025 to 2027, this deeply immersive experience uses primary sources to inform programs that highlight Ticonderoga’s vital role in the fight for American independence and the complex figures, like Benedict Arnold, who shaped its course. Visitors can engage in signature events like the “Onward to Canada” and various living history daily programs, deeply immersing themselves in the lives, challenges, and triumphs of soldiers and families during this defining Revolutionary period, offering a profound connection to our nation’s founding.
