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Fort Ticonderoga

American Revolution 250th Update

July 27, 2024
by Peter Feinman
Graphic by America 250.

Are you counting the days? Actually, the American Revolution 250th is already here. 1774 was the year of the First Continental Congress. It was a time when colonists began to take sides for the record as rebel or loyalist. Families would be divided. Neighbor would be against neighbor. The war was underway except for the fighting. So what are you doing to remember the 250th anniversary of 1774?

What are you doing for the 250th? The following is not a comprehensive report on what is going on throughout the country. That would be too big a topic for a blog and I don’t know the answer to that question either. What I can is report on some events which I know about from in-person, newsletters (both print and email), and announcements.

NATIONAL AND THE 250TH

STATES AND THE 250TH

Let’s look at what some of the states are doing.

Virginia

The following comes from the Commonwealth of Virginia where they take the American Revolution 250th seriously.

The Virginia Department of Historic Resources received $20,000,000 in the 2024-2026 Virginia Biennial Budget to initiate a grant program to support improvements at significant historic sites and history museums in Virginia in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution and the 1776 United States Declaration of Independence

Fund Establishment Language

“Out of the amounts in this item, $20,000,000 the first year from the general fund is provided to establish a competitive grant program to support improvements at significant historic sites and history museums in Virginia in anticipation of the country’s Semiquincentennial. The department shall develop guidelines and establish procedures for awarding this funding, which shall include eligibility criteria for applicants, a minimum one-third match from grantees, and any other criteria the department determines reasonable to carry out the provisions of this paragraph. Of the amount authorized, the department is authorized to recover costs incurred in administering this program. Any balances for the purposes specified in this paragraph which are unexpended on June 30, 2025, shall not revert to the general fund but shall be carried forward and reappropriated.”

Eligibility is not limited to properties related to the American Revolution. Any historic site or museum that meets all the requirements is eligible to apply.

This webpage has been created to provide communications regarding the administration of this program within the Department of Historic Resources. Please check this webpage frequently as we will be making updates as we launch this new grant program.

The Preapplication is open now and linked here.

Grant Timeline

July 16, 2024—Preapplication opens
August 30, 2024—Preapplication closes
September 9, 2024—Full application released (for applicants with an eligible preapplication)
October 14, 2024—Full application deadline
Late 2024—Grant Awards Announced

Grant Guidelines

The grant guidelines document is linked here. Please read through it thoroughly before filling out a preapplication.

Application Process

The first step in the application process is the Virginia 250 Preservation Fund Preapplication. The form will help determine if the project meets minimum eligibility requirements as set out in the budget and grant guidelines. The Preapplication is due by August 30th, 2024.

The full application will open to applicants notified that they have an eligible preapplication on September 15th, 2024. This application will be completed on DHR’s WebGrants page (website currently under construction). Please see grant guidelines for additional information.

Virginia appears very serious about the 250th. The state has allocated real money on behalf of the event. How does this compare to what your state is doing?

New Jersey

My local newspaper in New York had a big article on what New Jersey is doing. In the fall of 2022, the Governor announced a $25 million plan to improve 10 Revolutionary War sites. However implementation has been slow. Roger Williams, historian for the New Jersey Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, said:

So far, Virginia, Massachusetts, and South Carolina are all doing a better job of planning and touting their efforts to commemorate America’s birth.

Sara Cureton, executive director of the New Jersey Historical Commission, said RevolutionNJ has been working behind the scenes with an association of history museums and groups to develop a variety of programs to make America 250 “a whole state experience.” A manual has been distributed on how to plan events. The big event is the Battle of Trenton on December 26, 2026.  New Jersey should be at the head of the table according to state historians and government officials so one expects the pace will pick up in 2026 as people plan their heritage vacations.

Connecticut

On the H-Connecticut internet list serve, Connecticut posted the following announcement to members. (Does your state have one?)

ConnecticutHistory.org: Call for 250th Related Content

ConnecticutHistory.org invites prospective authors to submit pitches for content related to the themes developed by the America 250 | CT Commission for the United States’ Semiquincentennial (250th) anniversary. Proposed content does not need to be strictly about the American Revolutionary period, but should consider how its questions of freedom, representative democracy, and societal change continue in other aspects of Connecticut history. We are looking for pitches for the following types of content:

Encyclopedic Entries: Simple, straightforward description of the basic facts or life story of an important person, event, group/organization, or place in Connecticut. We are especially interested in entries that focus on diverse aspects of Connecticut’s history that are not yet included on ConnecticutHistory.org.

Interpretive Articles: Concise, compelling narratives that explore some aspect of Connecticut’s history. Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • How the history of a particular event has been documented and remembered
  • Using specific collections or artifacts to explore aspects of Connecticut history
  • Analysis of data sets like census records, population data, or other compiled information

Digital Projects: Creative, born-digital ways of communicating or analyzing an aspect of Connecticut’s history. Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • StoryMaps
  • Interactive timelines
  • Mapping projects

All accepted authors are compensated for their published content. Encyclopedia entries (approx. 350-1,000 words) are compensated at $150 and interpretive articles (approx. 500-1,200 words) at $200 each. Digital project compensation is determined after discussion and is based on the scope of the project. All content is expected to be well-researched, factually accurate, and offer balanced, authoritative historical interpretations.

Pitches

Pitches should be 1-3 paragraphs in length and include a description of the topic, form of proposed content (encyclopedic entry, interpretive article, or digital project), and how it connects to one (or more) of the America 250 | CT themes. If you would like to contribute but do not have an idea to pitch, please contact us expressing your interest—we can provide options and content gaps that we would like someone to develop!

Please submit your pitches via email to connecticuthistory@cthumanities.org. Pitches are accepted on a rolling basis and submission is not guarantee of content acceptance.

America 250 | CT Themes

Tell Inclusive Stories: The 250th serves as inspiration for the people of Connecticut to deal with and share stories that represent all of its people, past and present.

Power of Place: Connecticut is comprised of 169 towns and cities, five recognized tribes, and countless communities with unique identities and contributions.

Doing History: Inviting audiences to engage with historical methods can help them become more comfortable with the ambiguous, contested, and always-evolving nature of history.

For the Common Good: The 250th anniversary offers an opportunity to reconsider the origins of our government, democratic institutions, and broader civic life, and a chance to reflect on the ways we have changed them over time.

For more information on the themes and the America 250 | CT Commission, please see this planning guide resource.

This announcement seems like an excellent way to engage the entire Connecticut community in the 250th. One hopes that CT Humanities is geared up to handle the submissions and the state website is ready to go.

Utah

Utah is not an Atlantic coastal state and did not participate directly in the American Revolution. That does not mean that nothing was happening in the state in 1776. It was the time when Fray Fransisco Atanasio Dominguez and Fray Silvestre Vélez de Esclante led an expedition through the Rocky Mountains and Utah in search of a route from Santa Fe to Monterey, California. The Spanish and Mexican members of the expedition were the first Europeans to enter the state.

In 1976, the Utah Historical Society published The Peoples of Utah. Now the Historical Society will revisit that publication to widen the lens of the people to be included. The new publication will include people who were not included in the first one plus the people who have arrived since then. It seeks to share the story of Utahns to foster a sense of engagement and belonging among everyone who calls the state “home” and to include their stories as an integral part of America’s ongoing journey.

New York

New York has authorized the creation of a state commission. That is a requirement for the disbursement of federal funding in the event there should be federal funding. The commission itself is not fully staffed as the Governor has declined to designate her appointees. It also has no money.

A public meeting was held at NYS Museum anyway. Most of the meeting had to do with establishing the rules whereby the commission will operate. The October meeting may have something more substantive.

New York Counties

Various counties are doing things in addition to Saratoga and Westchester which I have written about before.

Clinton County

Clinton County held is first steering committee meeting in 2022. The effort now includes local historians, arts and cultural organizations, museums, libraries, local media, municipalities, researchers along with the DAR, SAR, and Battlefield Memorial Gateway Park. The Battle of Valcour Island (Arnold was still a hero then!) figures prominently in the planning. The Clinton County Historical Association doesn’t provide any financial information or events yet. It will have a Planning Manual and Toolkit for individual organizations. A county master calendar will be created. The programs and events are expected to begin in 2025.

Putnam County

I recently attended a meeting of the Putnam County 250th. It is following in the path of Clinton County as the meeting I attended included a wide range of people not solely from history organizations.

Fort Ticonderoga

Fort Ticonderoga is not a county but I am including it here. Fort Ticonderoga Launches America’s 250th Commemorations

“A Revolutionary Anthology,” Fort Ticonderoga’s five-year-long commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, opened June 27 with the first of five annual exhibitions. The 2024 exhibition, “Power of Place,” will be on view through October 27. “We’re absolutely thrilled to unveil the first in the series of 250th anniversary exhibitions,” Fort Ticonderoga’s president and CEO, Beth Hill, said at the June 27 opening. “It has been a decade in the making, if not longer.”

According to Hill, the exhibitions and complementary programming will enable visitors to Fort Ticonderoga to understand the people and the events of the American Revolution through new perspectives, including those of ordinary individuals who experienced the momentous events of the Revolution in their personal lives.

“Rare artifacts, tactile experiences, public tours, and a robust digital presence with audio and video content will ensure universal accessibility and an enhanced understanding of the Revolution’s significance for all guests,” said Hill.

“Power of Place” has as its theme the influence of geography on history, said Dr. Matthew Keagle, Fort Ticonderoga Curator. “Geography shaped the Revolutionary struggle in ways that gave places far from population centers a profound significance and had a lasting effect on individuals as well as nations,” said Keagle, who said the exhibition explores nine places that played a critical role in the conduct of the Revolutionary War, the Champlain Valley included.

This year, Fort Ticonderoga’s living history programs will explore daily life at Fort Ticonderoga in 1774, when it was in the hands of the British. “Our interpretive programs are laser-focused on what was happening every day, week and month 250 years ago,” said Keagle. “Come back next year, and you will see something altogether different.”

In 2025, 250 years after the capture of Fort Ticonderoga by Ethan Allen, Benedict Arnold and the American irregulars known as the Green Mountain Boys, America’s first victory in its war for independence will be featured. And every year, other artifacts will be displayed, enabling Fort Ticonderoga “to explore the breadth, the complexity, and the diversity of the experience of the American Revolution as it unfolded over several years,” said Keagle.

New York City Boroughs/Counties

To the best of my knowledge there is no New York City American Revolution 250th committee.

To the best of my knowledge none of the five boroughs have an American Revolution 250th committee.

To the best of my knowledge there are no American Revolution 250th activities beyond what is normally done annually (THE FIRE WORKS!) or what an individual organization is planning.

The failure of New York City can easily be shown in comparison to what is being done elsewhere.

1 Remember the Boston Tea Party event last December? That was a big media and tourist spectacular supported by the state, the city, and a slew of history organizations. A great deal of planning went into the event.

What about the toppling of the statue of King George III in lower Manhattan? Is there any reason why that could not be made in a major event comparable to the Boston Tea Party event?

2 What about the Battle for New York/Brooklyn/Long Island? Many sites are gearing up to military battles which occurred at their location. Meanwhile New York City arguably has biggest battle of 1776 when 30,000 British troops landed in Manhattan and remained for seven years. Without the occupation of New York City, Burgoyne’s three-pronged attack that was stymied at Saratoga never would have happened. There are people who commemorate the battle annually but that is as a local event, not a tourist event that would draw people from around the country.

3 What about the mini-battles surrounding New York City? For example Westchester County will celebrate the Battle of White Plains in October 2026 but what about the Battle of Washington Heights at Fort Washington.

These examples contrast what New York City is not doing compared to what other areas are doing. What the city is doing is celebrating the Tall Ships. This will be a big extravaganza in early July 2026 with ships from multiple countries. A great deal of planning and effort is going into making it happens. The fact that it has nothing to do with the American Revolution is irrelevant. It will be a great show. As for the ships bringing the 30,000 British troops to occupy the city, who cares.

This blog demonstrates the wide range of responses to the 250th. There are states which have put their money where their mouth is and states which have done nothing. There are counties which have or are planning ambitious programming and counties which have done nothing. There are sites which have undertaken significant projects and sites which are crying for leadership and funding. Meanwhile the clock keeps ticking. The 250th anniversary of 1774 will be drawing to a close soon so if nothing is planned it is probably too late now.

American Revolution 250th: What’s Going On?

August 11, 2023
by Peter Feinman
Graphic by America 250.

What is going on in the world of the American Revolution 250th? What follows is by no means a comprehensive report. It is a review of items that happen to cross my email by being a member of various lists. I present them in terms of scope starting at the national level

NATIONAL

Hi Peter,

As one of the original supporters of America250, I wanted you to be one of the first people to know – starting on the 4th of July this year, we’re officially kicking off the countdown to the 250th commemoration with America’s Invitation. This campaign will touch Americans from all across the country and expand our community planning the commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary in 2026 – and I’m hoping that you can be a part of this historic moment. 

America’s Invitation is a chance for Americans to share their pride in their communities, culture, and experiences to capture and pass down to future generations. We’ll share these reflections as part of our mission to tell the full American story and to create the most inclusive commemoration in our history.

We are in the process of collecting submissions ahead of the launch of America’s Invitation on July 4, 2023, and I want to personally invite you to share your story. Whether it’s a photo of a meaningful local landmark, reflections on how you want to mark this historic milestone, or even a family recipe passed down through generations, we want you to share anything that is unique to you. This will give Americans the chance to learn about each other and preserve a portrait of America at 250.

Your story is the American story. Share a photo, video, poem, or other reflection with us today!

In anticipation of launching America’s Invitation, stay tuned for our next email in the coming days, where we’ll have more information on the road to the 250th commemoration in 2026 and other ways that you can get involved.

Thank you again for being a part of America250. With your help, we’ll make sure this is a commemoration that will make every American proud.

Warm regards,

The Honorable Rosie Rios
Chair, United States Semiquincentennial Commission

A few weeks later there was a followup email along the same lines. These emails show the national organization is alive and starting to reach out the American public. This is a welcome step forwards. Of course it is still bound by 2026.

National: Omohundro Institute of Early American History & Culture

Hosted by Maria DiBenigno, Hilary Miller, and Amy Speckart
Revolutionary Narratives: Reconsidering Commemorations at the U.S. 250th
Wednesdays at 4 pm ET (7/26, 8/2, 8/9, 8/16, 8/23)

What will 2026 look like at historic sites, museums, in libraries and archives, at schools and universities, in community organizations and local cultural institutions, at art museums and on historic battlefields? We already know that U.S. Semiquincentennial commemorations will be diffuse, decentralized, and debated. At national conferences and with regional planning committees, the facilitators, members of the working group Revolutionary Narratives, are exploring the possibilities of 2026 while acknowledging the long and problematic history of commemorations in the United States.

In our Coffeehouse, we will explore seven questions that have come up in conversation over the last two years.

1. How do we learn from past national commemorations?
2. How does popular culture influence and is influenced by public commemorations?
3. How do we encourage social responsibility during the 250th, especially when confronting gun culture, gender and race relations, climate crises, disinformation campaigns, etc.?
4. How do we produce historical knowledge, and what are we overlooking or undervaluing?
5. How can we think inclusively about the American Revolution and the 250th?
6. How can we think expansively about the American Revolution and the 250th?
7. How do we use this moment to bring the public together and respond to community interest, and who is the U.S. Semiquincentennial for?

We welcome anyone interested in the U.S. 250th to join the conversation—graduate students, public history practitioners, independent scholars, etc. Ultimately, our Coffeehouse will develop a short reflection piece, like a blog post, to reconsider the real-world implications of doing the 250th.

REGISTER HERE for “Revolutionary Narratives: Reconsidering Commemorations at the 250th”

Here we have a national history organization stepping in to provide informal coffee house discussions on the 250th. Although I have not been able to attend any of these online sessions so far, I will try in the future. I don’t know if they are recorded or not. In any event, good questions are being asked and discussed by people like you so it is worth a try.

NATIONAL: NCHE (National Council for History Education)

Educate and Commemorate: America’s 250th Anniversary in America’s Classrooms
September 19, 2023 ~ 7:30pm ET
Madeleine Rosenberg, American Association for State and Local History
LeRae Umfleet, North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
Stephanie Hartman, Colorado Department of Education, America 250 – Colorado 150 Commission
Katie Roach, American 250 – Colorado 150 Commission

In 2026, the Declaration of Independence turns 250 years old. Americans continue to grapple with the impact of that document and how we have, and haven’t, lived up to its ideals. Students need to be included in these conversations, whether they live in one of the original 13 colonies or anywhere else in the United States. Join the American Association for State and Local History and two state organizations – from North Carolina and Colorado – to learn about commemoration efforts across the nation and how education initiatives are gearing up for America’s 250th.

https://ncheteach.org/conversation-post/Educate-and-Commemorate

Here is another national organization, this time a little more teacher oriented than museum, with a national program.

REGIONAL: CANADA, NEW ENGLAND, NEW YORK

Fort Ticonderoga has announced the creation of the 250th Northern Department, as part of its plans for the national 250th commemoration of the American War for Independence. This initiative will promote and market regional historic sites during the commemorative period from 2024-2027 and beyond through print and digital content and social media platforms.

The announcement came at a recent regional 250th commemoration meeting, held in Fort Ticonderoga’s Mars Education Center. Representatives from over 50 partnering organizations, museums and historic sites from across New York, Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Canada were in attendance to discuss 250th commemorative plans.

“The Northern Department shouldered the assault of British forces from the Canada in 1776 and 1777, culminating in the surrender of John Burgoyne’s army in October of 1777, forever altering the course of American history,” said Devin R. Lander, New York State Historian. “Today, as we build plans to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the War for the American Independence, we are thrilled to see Fort Ticonderoga initiate the recreation of the Northern Department. This project, connecting key partners in New York, Vermont and Canada, will promote Northern Department historic sites and draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to the region during the commemorative period.”

“It might be said that Washington’s tour of the forts and battlefields of the Northern Department in 1783 made this region collectively the site of the first Revolutionary War tourism,” said Beth L. Hill, Fort Ticonderoga President and CEO. “The Northern Department was critical to American victory in the Revolution and was recognized early on as the site of remarkable human achievements combined with some of America’s most dramatic scenery. Today we are energized to build off this legacy, encourage travel and catapult our region into the forefront of 250th commemoration in New York, the United States, North America, and beyond!”

Fort Ticonderoga will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution as the conflict that shaped our nation. To serve our mission of preservation and education, Fort Ticonderoga will explore the individuals, alliances, triumphs, and challenges of the long war to achieve American independence and their lasting impact on the United States and the world.  To learn more about 250th programs, events and other commemorative plans, visit https://www.fortticonderoga.org/learn-and-explore/ticonderoga-250th-real-time-revolution/

This level of international and multistate cooperation is a welcome development. Not all events in the American Revolution were restricted by our boundary lines to day. I look forward to trips for teachers and the general public to these multiple locations over the course of the 2024-2027 period. Back when I was doing teacherhostels/historyhostels, Fort Ticonderoga was one of the regular stops and I got to watch the Mars Education Center being build. I predict some very specific events and activities as a result of this collaboration and hope to be able to participate in them.

This model also can be used for other geographic areas even if confined to one state. I hope there will be presentations at history and museum conferences about the ongoing developments of this initiative.

STATE: CONNECTICUT

Preparing for the 250th in Connecticut

When: Wednesday, August 09, 2023 11:00 AM, EDT

Join us to learn more about Connecticut’s Semiquincentennial Commission, resources that they have released, and resources that are in development. Share your current plans and receive resources to help with planning for Connecticut’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This program is run in collaboration with CT Humanities. 

Connecticut has an up and running state commission which includes the Connecticut League of Historic Organizations (CLHO). I am a member and attended this online session without about 135 other people. Some of what happened in Connecticut does overlap with New York State such as Sybil Ludington who a couple of the participants mentioned. There was even mention of the Lafayette Bicentennial in 1824 and 1825. This was of interest me as I am working with the American Friends of Lafayette to celebrate that event in New York.

REGIONAL: HUDSON VALLEY

Revolutionary Hudson Valley is a newly formed not-for-profit organization, supported by the Greater Hudson Heritage Network (GHHN), to assist with planning and coordinating the 250th anniversary in the Hudson Valley region. Spearheaded by Dutchess County historian Dr. William Tatum III, representatives from the region will actively assist, support, and publicize local 250th riverside events in Dutchess, Rockland, Westchester, Putnam, Orange, Sullivan, Ulster, Green and Columbia Counties, reaching out to key stakeholders including historians, historical societies, tourism professionals and elected officials and potential funders.

The story of the American Revolution in the Hudson Valley cannot be told by county. Think of Benedict Arnold and John André for example. Here we have an example of a regional history organization within a state taking the lead in creating a non-profit to serve the same areas it does in its museum work. I am sure we will hear more about it at upcoming annual conference, now live again, to be held at Boscobel this fall.

REGIONAL: LONG ISLAND

As the country looks ahead to the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War, leaders on Long Island have announced plans for a commemoration of the region’s local ties to the American War for Independence. 

A bi-county planning commission will design a series of events to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the role that Long Island played during the Revolutionary War period.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced the formation of the commission this week at Sagtikos Manor — a former headquarters for the British Army. “This is something we will be commemorating as a nation but it’s important that we commemorate it here on Long Island because of the pivotal role that Long Island played during this founding of our nation and during this revolutionary period,” Bellone said.

Local historians, educators and representatives from the five Native American nations on Long Island will participate in the planning to focus on local battles, the political division of loyalists versus revolutionaries and the impact on local residents.

Sandi Brewster-Walker, a historian and a member of the Montaukett Indian Nation, said she was happy to be involved in the planning and hoped the commission would take a realistic view of the region’s Revolutionary War history. “This is a time period that we, the Montaukett, we the Native Americans on Long Island, we lost our land,” she said. “And usually people don’t talk about that. But we also had numerous people from Long Island that were Native American that fought on both sides of the Revolutionary War.”

https://www.wshu.org/long-island-news/2023-06-15/long-island-prepares-for-250th-anniversary-of-the-revolutionary-war

The combination of the two counties is a natural one. There will, of course, be connections with Connecticut. Nathan Hale and the Culper spy ring come to mind. The inclusion of the Montaukett Indian Nation in the commission and the planning indicates that the story of the American Revolution will be more inclusive than it has been in the past.

COUNTY: MONTGOMERY

As the nation prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, Montgomery County, NY is making its own preparations by establishing a commission to create educational programming, events and messaging to promote the county’s significant connections to the Revolutionary War.

The sound of musket fire and cannon blasts once echoed across Tryon County and the Mohawk Valley. During the late 1770s and early 1780s, the founding of America and the struggle for freedom was playing out in part across Montgomery County, New York.

Visit Montgomery County, the county’s tourism initiative, has already prioritized local historic assets as part of its broader messaging, because of the interest generated by residents and visitors from outside of the region.

Publicly accessible sites in Montgomery County connected to the Revolutionary War include the Stone Arabia Battlefield and the Stone Arabia churches (including the cemetery where Col. John Brown is buried); The Fort Plain Museum; Fort Klock Historic Restoration; Old Fort Johnson National Historic Landmark; Van Alstyne Homestead; Fort Lewis and the Currytown Massacre site; Isaac Paris House; and Palatine Church.

Members of the County Legislature passed a resolution officially establishing the Commission during their meeting on June 27th.

Members of the Revolutionary War 250th Commemoration Commission are expected to be tasked with developing public programming, events and marketing materials that commemorate and honor the Revolutionary War, including the Battle of Stone Arabia and other activities that occurred in the county at that time. Commission members will create a logo and messaging that showcases the county’s connections to the war, with an eye toward promoting long-term heritage tourism.

The commission is expected to consist of 13 members, representing local historic sites, county government, and other relevant stakeholders.

This county initiative is welcome news to me. I have attended multiple conferences on the American Revolution there hosted by the Fort Plain Museum. Indeed at the last conference, speakers from Saratoga and Westchester counties presented on what they are doing. The former has a government commission led by the county historian while the latter has a non-profit 501(c)3 and has been very active this past year giving lectures throughout the county and holding family events.

I hope Montgomery County will take the lead in reaching to nearby counties to create a Mohawk Valley American Revolution Commission which will include some of the Haudenosaunee nations (not all of them are located in the Mohawk Valley).

This overview shows that people at the ground level are starting to do things. They are organizing at the county and multiple county regional level to tell the story of the American Revolution. Even in New York with its unstaffed and unfunded state commission people are working through their local county governments to prepare for the 250th and the years beyond. I suspect at some point the pace will pick up.

I apologize to people who are working on the 250th who were not included in this blog but as I said it is based on various email notices I receive and not from researching the communities.

 

 

 

Sense of Place versus the Ivory Tower: The American Revolution 250th

July 23, 2022
by Peter Feinman
Saratoga County has a funded American Revolution 250th Commission

There are multiple ways through which one can approach the American Revolution. In this blog. I wish to address the sense of place in contrast to the ivory tower. The sense of place approach draws on the fact that we are physical beings with a sense of touch. Being connected to the land, a community, and place in history is important. If you ever have as seen a person make an effort to take a picture of history marker all by itself, then you know what I mean.

Whereas sense of place programs are based on the place where it happened, the ivory tower program is not. It does not even need to be in-person except for the fact that we are physical beings and the need to be in contact with other people is essential to who we are. That being said, an ivory tower conference can be anywhere. Think of how many conferences on peoples from around the world and in ancient times can be held at a location far removed from where those people live or lived. American Revolution conferences frequently are held in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia because of their role in the American Revolution and they have colleges and historical organizations without attendees visiting a fort or a battlefield.

In this blog, I wish to cover three current sense of place programs and one ivory tower program:

1. Fort Plain Museum American Revolution Conference in the Mohawk Valley last month which I did attend
2. Fort Ticonderoga Seminar on the American Revolution in September which I am planning to attend
3. Battle of Saratoga “America’s Turning Point,” the new 250th commission created by Saratoga County about a battlefield where I have had multiple teacher programs in the past
4. Unrepresented Voices of the American Revolution, an ivory tower conference in Boston which I was unable to attend and which was not on-line.

FORT PLAIN MUSEUM CONFERENCE     

For this conference, I am going to draw on the conference report written by Nancy Spannaus of the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society. I met her at the conference and did not know she would be writing a ten-page summary of the presentations. Wouldn’t it be great if someone did that at all history conferences? To read her report click here.

The conference did tend to focus on the military and the bus tour was to sites where American Revolution battles were fought. Although the Oneida, America’s first ally, and the Seneca were involved in these battles no presenters were from these or any Haudenosaunee people. There will be a conference this fall on William Johnson.

The conference is an extraordinary event. In boxing terms, Norm Bollen and Brian Mack of the Fort Plain Museum are punching above their weight. In addition to creating this annual conference and tour off the beaten trail, they have successfully created on-line book store focusing on the American Revolution. They have ambitious plans for expanding the museum and are dedicated to bringing tourists into a part of the Mohawk Valley people tend to drive through without stopping. They deserve a great deal of credit for what they have been able to accomplish. One hopes that if the National Commission gets it acts together and if there is a viable New York State commission and if there is real funding including for events after 1776, they will get the institutional support they deserve. The small communities would benefit enormously from increased tourist visitation.

In the meantime, the conference organizers plan on following the timeline. Each year’s conference from this point forward will focus on the events of that year 250 years ago. I have suggested that approach in a couple of blogs and of the need for national history organizations to help show the way but so far to no avail.

FORT TICONDEROGA CONFERENCE

Fort Ticonderoga is holding its 18th American Revolution Conference this September (they prefer the term “seminar”). The fort itself recently passed its own bicentennial as a non-fort site when William Ferris Pell purchased it in 1820. In olden days, I attended conferences there in a giant (heated) tent. I then watched the construction/archaeological excavation of what is now the Mars Education Center, a sign of the money that has been behind some of the changes with more to come.

The conference this year is overwhelming military. There are sessions about tactical prowess, raids, armed camps, and imperialism. Women are present but in a military context:

“Jane McCrea, Women and War: Gender and Violence in the Revolution’s Northern Front”

“The Infamous Conduct of a few Abandoned Miscreants”: Sexual Violence committed by Continental Soldiers towards American Women.

Fort Ticonderoga does conduct battle re-enactments. For example, this weekend:

Battle Reenactment: 1759 Siege of Carillon

 Don’t miss the epic two-day 1759 Siege of Carillon Battle Reenactment, July 23-24, as Fort Ticonderoga recreates this dramatic 1759 battle for the first time since 2011! Through a combination of demonstrations, vignettes, and battle reenactments, visitors will experience the British advance for Lake George, pushing through stiff French resistance to gain a foothold upon the previous year’s battlefield, overlooking the French-held fort. Become immersed in this 18th-century siege; featuring the constant roar of cannon, beginning on the actual day French guns began firing from Fort Carillon in 1759.

 Each day tells a different story as visitors see the burning fuse of the Fort’s destruction, the final French sortie at the British lines, and evacuation by water in an action packed Sunday.

A sense of place is very much a part of the American Revolution and French and Indian War programs at Fort Ticonderoga.

SARATOGA

Saratoga is different from Forts Plain and Ticonderoga in that it is a battlefield and not a fort. In fact it isn’t even in Saratoga today. In the past IHARE has had weekend Teacherhostels/Historyhostels at the location as well as including it as part of a more extended program on Forts of the Empire State. Outside the town visitor center there was/is a statue to Solomon Northup but back then his name did not mean anything to me.

The IHARE program combined talks on the Battle of Saratoga and its place in the American Revolution. Then we would walk (and drive) the grounds of the battlefield itself. I ended with a canal/river cruise not because it was directly related to the American Revolution but because it was a nice way to end the program. We disembarked from Schuylerville after visiting the NPS Schuyler House and climbing the Arnold-less Victory Monument.

As best I recall, The National Park Service did not have an annual Battle of Saratoga conference comparable to those at Forts Plain and Ticonderoga.

However, things may be changing for the American Revolution 250th. The County has just launched a program called “America’s Turning Point” in recognition of the battle there.

Never before in world history had a British Army surrendered until October 17, 1777 when General John Burgoyne and his army, cold, starving, and battered from their defeat at the Battle of Bemis Heights, surrendered to General Gates and his Patriot army at Saratoga in what is now known as the Turning Point of the American Revolution.

As part of the effort, the County has created an appropriately numbered commission of 13 people. The Commission will be responsible for making it happen. Members include the County Historian Lauren Roberts – Yes, Saratoga County is one of the New York State counties with an historian! Various other representatives from the history community are included on the Commission. Politicians are not ignored either: Town of Saratoga Supervisor, Town of Stillwater Supervisor where the battlefield is located, Saratoga County Administrator and the Chairman of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors. I hope one of the remaining two openings will be filled by a teacher or someone from a school system.

The Commission launches its public face this July 19th through 24th with a tent at the Saratoga County Fair. There will be a parade August 7th in Schuylerville and a living history teacher workshop October 28th. To support this effort, the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors committed $150,000. This is in one county! Clearly Saratoga is hitting the ground running now in 2022 and not waiting for the state or federal government to get their acts together.

Massachusetts Historical Society: Underrepresented Voices of the American Revolution (July 14-15, 2022)

The lead up to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence offers an opportunity to highlight the latest scholarship on underrepresented voices of the American Revolution. This conference will bring together scholars to explore the broad themes associated with those not traditionally considered in discussing the American Revolutionary Era. Additionally, this conference will serve both scholars and K-12 educators by providing a platform to consider how the classroom serves as a key site of historical representation. Teachers will be invited to attend the traditional academic sessions, and scholars in turn will be invited to participate in a concluding teacher workshop at the end of the conference (July 16).

As the title of the conference suggests, this conference by America’s oldest historical society is not one based on a sense of place. It is an intellectual conference intending to give voice to those voices not traditionally heard. I was unable to attend the conference in Boston in-person and it was not on-line. The settings for the conference were an historical society and college in Boston, a quite different setting from the forts and battlefields in the New York State programs.

The panel sessions attest the fulfillment of the vision stated above. It includes sessions I would have like to have attended and I don’t know if any of the presentations will be available to non-attendees. The Massachusetts Historical Society does have a robust schedule of programs on an ongoing basis and does an excellent job of making the recordings available on line.

To illustrate the focus of conference, here are the non-military sessions:

1. Underrepresented Voices in the Archives
2. New Perspective on Loyalism – there will be a NYC Loyalist militia presentation at Fort Ticonderoga
3. The Non-Human Revolution
4. Gendered Loyalties
5. Imperial Borderlands – there will be a borderlands presentation at Fort Ticonderoga
6. Southern Revolution Worlds – it is not about white people
7. Claiming Exodus: Jews, Black Protestants, and Revolutionary Religious Freedom
8. Indian Sovereignty and the Revolution – earlier this week I participated in a two-day NMAI webinar specifically on the subject of Indian Sovereignty but not on the Revolution
9. Reconsidering Revolutionary New England.

If the schedule had been different or the Boston conference was available online, I would have attended both the sense of place and ivory tower American Revolution events. I wonder how many other people would have attended both. We may have a “failure to communicate” here. During the 250th, it is easy to imagine a slew of silo events and programs speaking to separate audiences who do not interact. One group will not be current with scholarship and the other will ignore the fact that a real war was fought at real places that can be visited today.

Cultural Heritage Fail: The American Revolution in NYS

June 22, 2014
by Peter Feinman

New York was an object of great importance during the American Revolution. At the kick off of the Path through History project in August 2012, plenary speaker Ken Jackson, Columbia University, criticized New York for its inadequate efforts to tell its story compared to what Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts are doing. He welcomed the opportunity that New York finally was going to get it right.

By coincidence, at the New York History community roundtable convened by Assemblyman Englebright several weeks ago in connection with his proposed New York History Commission, he began with a similar plea for New York to tell its story as well as those same states Jackson had mentioned 20 months earlier. He was particularly incensed over the new TV show Turn about America’s first spy ring set in the very community he represents. Continue reading “Cultural Heritage Fail: The American Revolution in NYS” →