Camping This Summer? Buy Wood Locally to Protect the Environment
It seems with increasing frequency we are hearing reports about invasive species and the effect they have on natural ecosystems. Where there is human activity, invasives are likely to be found. Fort Ticonderoga is no exception and has its share of invasive exotics such as shrubby honeysuckle and garlic mustard. Once sought-after garden plants, their […]
Installing “Bullets & Blades”
The installation of a new exhibit is a large task. A previous blog has highlighted the work the museum has done to clean and prepare the weapons for exhibit. That is only one small part of the exhibition construction process. Many weeks were spent constructing mounts for the objects. Because each object is different, it […]
Benedict Arnold, Independence, & Independent Companies
Both famous and infamous, Benedict Arnold first made his name leading the Green Mountain Boys through the gates of Ticonderogaalong side Ethan Allen. That is easy enough to picture, but it begs the question, “What was he wearing in the early hours of May 10 1775?” Most New England militia units were un-uniformed in the […]
In Search of Historic Plants
Creating a garden or recreating an historic garden is a constantly evolving process. Since restoration of the King’s Garden began in 1995, careful research has guided the garden’s curators to restore it as closely as possible to designer Marian Coffin’s Colonial revival-era scheme. Over 100 annuals and perennials are listed on Coffin’s plan which is […]
Portraying a Citizen Army: Clothing Rabble in Arms
The April 26, 1775 Connecticut Assembly Resolves that raised an army for war required that every man bring their own clothing and equipment from home stating: And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That a premium of Fifty-Two Shillings per man shall be advanced and paid to each non-commissioned Officer and inhabitant upon […]
Construction Details of a Small Sword
While cleaning weapons in preparation for the new upcoming exhibit Bullets & Blades: The Weapons of America’s Colonial War and Revolution, we had the rare opportunity to completely disassemble an American small sword; a sword made by the Boston, Massachusetts silversmith William Cowell, Jr. (1713-1761), ca. 1740-1760. (The pommel of the sword was loose and […]
Portraying a Citizen Army: 1775 at Ticonderoga
We all can picture the minute men of Lexington green on April 19th 1775. The image of armed patriot citizens, spontaneously fighting for their rights is indelibly burned into our collective memory of the American Revolution. This summer at Fort Ticonderoga we’re looking at the next chapter, what happened in the rest of 1775? How […]
Notes from the Landscape: Winter Tree Identification
Trees can be identified in winter by looking at the shapes formed by their trunks and bare limbs. Each tree species has a distinct shape, and its bark, twigs, and inactive buds give clues to help reveal its identity. To find the answers all you need is a key. A key uses a series of […]
Preparing the Arms Collection for a New Exhibit
A significant part of developing a new exhibit at Fort Ticonderoga is the preparation of collection objects before they go on display. Some objects require very little preparation, others require somewhat more attention. In the case of the museum’s newest exhibit Bullets & Blades: The Weapons of America’s Colonial Wars and Revolution, the objects slated […]