Fort Ticonderoga is thrilled to announce a five-year expansion of our weapons demonstrations and signature living history events through the Guns for Ticonderoga project funded by Americana Corner.
Thanks to the generous support of Americana Corner, Fort Ticonderoga has embarked on recreating two complete American artillery pieces with cannon, carriages, inert reproduction ammunition, and the implements Continental Army artillerymen employed with these guns. These reproduction weapons will bring to life surviving examples from Fort Ticonderoga’s archaeological and museum collection, allowing guests a hands-on exploration of real items that witnessed Ticonderoga’s defining moments. These pieces will enhance Fort Ticonderoga’s multi-year programmatic initiative REAL TIME REVOLUTION™, an innovative real-time experience bringing Ticonderoga’s history to life during America’s 250th celebration. REAL TIME REVOLUTION™ captures in real- time, the events, personalities, and peoples that led to American independence from 1774 through 1777.
“Artillery underpinned all of Ticonderoga’s Revolutionary War events, from inspiring its capture in May 1775, to Americans’ success fortifying Ticonderoga and blocking British invasion in October 1776,” said Stuart Lilie, Fort Ticonderoga Vice President of Public History. “As an educational tool, cannon dramatically illustrate the connection between Ticonderoga and Lake Champlain, arming ships and fortifications alike. The size and weight of cannon underscored feats like Henry Knox delivering the guns of Ticonderoga to the siege of Boston. Above all, cannon, their carriages, and ammunition, make the events of the Revolutionary War feel real, through their sight, sound, movement, and physicality.”
“We are exceedingly grateful to Americana Corner for supporting this project,” said Beth L. Hill, Fort Ticonderoga President & CEO. “These artillery pieces will provide more than just a bang, they will expand visitors’ understanding of the science of artillery, helping young visitors connect math, geography, and history in a fun hands-on manner. These artillery pieces will enhance Fort Ticonderoga’s storytelling on a grand scale, viscerally inspiring new generations with the compelling, nationally significant moments in the fight for independence. Watching the struggle to haul these cannons to meet the British or seeing them firing from newly-erected batteries will evoke the real uncertainty of the freedom so easily taken for granted today.”
This grant was approved by Americana Corner’s Preserving America Partners program. Fort Ticonderoga will connect the science of artillery and the challenge of arming the cause for independence to the human struggle of the Revolutionary War at Ticonderoga as our REAL TIME REVOLUTION™ dramatically recreates this unfolding story through 2027 and beyond.
Americana Corner
Americana Corner was founded by Tom Hand in 2020 as an online resource to help others rediscover America’s incredible founding and first century of expansion. From the American Revolution to the settlement of the American West, from the Declaration of Independence to the Emancipation Proclamation, and from George Washington to Abraham Lincoln, Americana Corner contains stories of the great events, founding documents, and inspirational leaders who helped create and shape our country. Perhaps most importantly, Tom discusses why these events and people from so long ago still matter to us today.
Americana Corner is committed to preserving and sharing the remarkable story of our nation’s founding era and its formative first century. To advance this mission, the organization established the Preserving America Partners program, a philanthropic initiative designed to support large-scale, multi-year projects at historical sites dedicated to the period from 1607 to 1876. Unlike traditional grant programs, this initiative delivers substantial, long-term funding, providing the stability needed to develop transformative programming and implement sustainable strategies for lasting impact.
About Fort Ticonderoga
Welcoming visitors since 1909, Fort Ticonderoga is a museum, historic site, major cultural destination, and center for learning, on-site and across the globe through Fort Ticonderoga’s Center for Digital History. 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. 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. 2025 All Rights Reserved.