Lakes to Locks Passage: Turning Point
As you travel along Lakes to Locks Passage in upstate New York, you will be on a route that shaped the history of North America as we know it today. In June 1777, British Major General John Burgoyne, a.k.a. Gentleman Johnny, undertook his part of the plan to sever New England, the seedbed of the American Revolution, from the rest of the continent. As he moved down the Champlain-Hudson waterway to Albany, Burgoyne's army of some 6,000 men met no resistance, and took Fort Ticonderoga without firing a shot. His troubles began as he prepared to cross 22 miles of wilderness between Lake Champlain and the Hudson River.
When you travel the byway today, between Whitehall and Fort Edward, it is easy to imagine Burgoyne's troops struggling along this narrow passage between Lake Champlain and the Hudson River -- through wooded hillsides, narrow ravines, steep cliffs, and a three-mile stretch of swamp. If you continue south along the Hudson, you will follow the path of General Burgoyne to Saratoga, and the “Turning Point of the American Revolution;” or the southeast route of Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich Baum will take you to the site of the Bennington Battlefield. Along the way, you will find museums and guides who will tell you about how the landscape, and the people who lived on it, shaped the outcome of the American Revolution. Visit us at www.lakestolocks.org to see the full text of this itinerary, videos and our interactive map-guide.
1
Fort Ticonderoga
Last Modified: May 18, 2013
General George Washington thought Fort Ticonderoga to be an impregnable fortification, and an overland attack from the North unlikely. After Burgoyne occupied nearby Fort Crown Poi...
2
Skenesborough Museum
Last Modified: Apr 25, 2013
Nestled in a valley at the head of Lake Champlain is Whitehall, Birthplace of the US Navy. In 1776, thirteen ships were built in Skenesbourgh Harbor for the defense of Fort Ticond...
3
Battle Hill
Last Modified: May 17, 2013
On July 8, 1777, Burgoyne's forward advance, slowed by American General Schuyler's orders to sabotage the narrow route by dropping trees, met the retreating troops from Fort Ticond...
4
Jane McCrea Monument
Last Modified: May 18, 2013
Stories of McCrea’s death quickly became part of American Folklore. An anonymous poet wrote “The Ballad of Jane McCrea” that became a popular folksong. In 1799, Rickeett’s Circus p...
5
Old Fort House Museum
Last Modified: May 19, 2013
The Old Fort House Museum was constructed by Patrick Smyth in 1772 with timbers taken from the ruins of Fort Edward, a French and Indian War fortification. Smythe was arrested at ...
6
Rogers Island Visitor Center
Last Modified: Apr 25, 2013
In 1766, after the French & Indian War was over, Fort Edward was ordered evacuated and its stores were moved to the British fort at Crown Point, leaving Fort Edward to decay. Altho...
7
Victory Woods
Last Modified: Apr 25, 2013
This 22-acre parcel of land, located in the Village of Victory, NY (about 8 1/2 miles north of the Battlefield), marks the final encampment site for the British Army under General ...
8
Saratoga Monument
Last Modified: Apr 25, 2013
Built between 1877 and 1883, this 155-foot stone obelisk commemorates the American victory in the Battle of Saratoga. Inside, 16 large bronze plaques help tell the story of the Ame...
9
Fort Hardy Park
Last Modified: May 18, 2013
Fort Hardy Park is the site of the British laying down of arms at the surrender of the British to the Americans. This was the first major victory for the Americans, and it convince...
10
Schuyler House
Last Modified: Apr 25, 2013
In October 1777, the beautiful home of American General Philip Schuyler was burned to the ground by British forces retreating north from the Battles of Saratoga. Following the sur...
11
Saratoga Battlefield
Last Modified: Apr 25, 2013
Saratoga National Historical Park commemorates the famous Battles of Saratoga, called the "most important battle of the last 1000 years” (New York Times Magazine). On September 19...
12
Stillwater Blockhouse
Last Modified: Apr 25, 2013
The Stillwater Blockhouse is a replica blockhouse built in part with timbers from Revolutionary War era structures once standing within what is now Saratoga National Historic Park,...
13
Van Schaick Mansion
Last Modified: Apr 25, 2013
The Van Schaick mansion is one of the most historic homes in New York State. The mansion is located on Van Schaick Island at the junction of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers at Cohoes,...
14
Old Burying Grounds
Last Modified: May 19, 2013
According to tradition, after the Battles of Saratoga about 100 bodies were loaded on wagons, brought to Salem’s burial ground and placed in an unmarked mass grave. No documentati...
15
Bennington Battlefield State Historic Site
Last Modified: May 17, 2013
Bennington Battlefield is in New York, not Vermont, and is the location of a Revolutionary War battle between the British forces of Colonel Friedrich Baum and American forces under...