The railroad did not come to the village of Lake George, formerly known as Caldwell, until 1882. So for decades travel to the lakeside village was mainly by stagecoach along the plank road from Glens Falls built in 1848 (now Route 9). [Read more…] about When PT Barnum’s Stagecoach Plunged into an Old Fort’s Moat
1954: Finding Fort William Henry’s Blacksmith Shop
Blacksmiths were integral personnel at frontier fortifications in North America during the 18th century. These iron smithies not only forged military items like swords, knives, musket barrels, and other lethal objects, they likewise crafted kettles, plates, ax heads, hammers, shovels, nails, and other metal tools.
So, it was not surprising in 1954, that during excavations in the Village of Lake George at Fort William Henry Museum, that a blacksmith “shop” was unearthed by archaeologist Stanley M. Gifford’s diggers. [Read more…] about 1954: Finding Fort William Henry’s Blacksmith Shop
When Smuggling Swiss Watches Was A Thing
It was 1930, during the era of Prohibition (1920–1933). So, it was not unusual when law enforcement personnel caught bootleggers on the Glens Falls-Lake George Road attempting to transport illegal alcohol from Canada to a local speakeasy.
What was uncommon, however, was arresting a smuggler who tried to sneak a large cache of untaxed contraband, Swiss watches, into the United States. [Read more…] about When Smuggling Swiss Watches Was A Thing
From Lake Champlain to the Search for Africa’s Mysterious Mokele-mbembe
My introduction into exploring the depths of waterways began at Lake George on June 14, 1981. On that date, I completed a check out dive off Diamond Island to acquire my scuba certification.
Diamond Island, four miles north of Million Dollar Beach, has for over six decades been the site where thousands of scuba students have taken their practical “exam” to become certified scuba divers. [Read more…] about From Lake Champlain to the Search for Africa’s Mysterious Mokele-mbembe
Naturalist & Bathysphere Explorer William Beebe
In the 1930s William Beebe (1877–1962), director of the Bermuda Oceanographic Institution sponsored by the New York Zoological Society (now the Wildlife Conservation Society), was described as “the most popular scientist in the world.”
Beebe began his career studying exotic birds, insects, and marine biology. The Brooklyn-born naturalist then gravitated to exploring the Atlantic Ocean’s abyss. [Read more…] about Naturalist & Bathysphere Explorer William Beebe
1956: A Historic Billboard Erected at Colonel Ephraim Williams’ Grave
In 1854, a white marble obelisk was erected at the grave of Colonel Ephraim Williams. The site is located three miles south of Lake George. The British provincial officer was killed on September 8, 1755 by French-led forces at the Battle of Lake George.
One hundred and two years after the stone pillar was installed at the Williams’ grave, Fort William Henry Corporation workers built a 20-foot high x 40-foot long wooden billboard near the site. The sign was positioned adjacent to Route 9. [Read more…] about 1956: A Historic Billboard Erected at Colonel Ephraim Williams’ Grave
1957: Old Fort William Henry Timber Catches Fire from Magnifying Glass
Any enthusiast of Sherlock Holmes knows the fictional British detective frequently employed a magnifying glass to examine evidence when battling crime. Today, the optical device is a standard item found in most American households.
Moreover, in 1957, an unidentified member of the archaeology team digging at the 200-year-old Fort William Henry accidentally started a fire with a misplaced magnifying glass. [Read more…] about 1957: Old Fort William Henry Timber Catches Fire from Magnifying Glass
1954: Archaeologists Find Rare Cufflink at Fort William Henry
In the autumn of 1954, United Press, a news wire service established in 1907 and later known as United Press International, reported: “Old War Crime Found At Fort.”
The gist of the report capitalized upon Americans’ fascination with The Last of the Mohicans (1826) by James Fenimore Cooper. The news of a discovery made in 1954 of charred bones of two British soldiers uncovered by archaeologists excavating the cellar of the barracks of Fort William Henry at the head of Lake George. [Read more…] about 1954: Archaeologists Find Rare Cufflink at Fort William Henry
A Replica Ancient Musical Instrument Crafted for Lake George Steamboat Captain
It was late into the 19th century, and many Americans were fascinated with the history and cultures of the ancient Greeks and Romans. In the United States, this historical period was called Neoclassicism. It had been in vogue for nearly 100 years.
Several New York state municipalities with Greek or Roman names were founded during the Neoclassical Era. Among them are Athens (1815), Cicero (1827), Cincinnatus (1804), Marathon (1828), and Syracuse (1825). So it’s not surprising that a Lake George steamboat captain would have fashioned a replica of an early Greek and Roman musical instrument. [Read more…] about A Replica Ancient Musical Instrument Crafted for Lake George Steamboat Captain
Fort William Henry’s Historic Well
In August 1757, following a siege of several days and after defeating the British, the French burned Fort William Henry at Lake George. Nearly a century later in 1855, the first Fort William Henry Hotel, located adjacent to the grounds where the fort once stood, opened.
The palatial hotel was destroyed by fire in 1909. Two years later, a second Fort William Henry Hotel was built. Replica Fort William Henry opened in 1954 as a museum. Fifty-years later, in 2004, a facsimile of the second hotel was erected. Throughout all this time there was one constant at the site, that being Fort William Henry’s well, dug in 1756 by Roger’s Rangers. [Read more…] about Fort William Henry’s Historic Well
1950: A Toilet Paper King’s Vessel Sinks in Lake George
In 1950, Mr. and Mrs. David Daniels of Loudonville, New York had a family cottage on Lake George. At the time, David Daniels was the president of Wheeler Paper Company of Albany.
Eight-decades earlier in 1871, entrepreneur and innovator Seth Wheeler, head of the business, first patented his improvement in perforated-wrapping papers. In 1891, Wheeler then re-patented his idea for perforated paper on a roll, essentially developing toilet paper as we know it today. [Read more…] about 1950: A Toilet Paper King’s Vessel Sinks in Lake George
1869: A Bengal Tiger Roams Lake George
The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, once billed as “The Greatest Show on Earth,” ceased operation in 2017. The circus and its predecessors date to 1871.
In 1869, two years before this long-running circus first opened, Campbell’s Circus and Menagerie was at Lake George when it made national and international newspaper headlines. [Read more…] about 1869: A Bengal Tiger Roams Lake George
1885: Colonial Relics Found Near A Lake George Church
The July 19, 1887 issue of the Glens Falls Daily Times newspaper declared that Isaac Crandall had “no superior as a florist.” The greenhouse owner not only was renowned for his exquisite-flower arrangements, he also was incredibly lucky.
Two years earlier in 1885, Crandall accidentally uprooted rare artifacts while planting a tree near the Methodist church in Caldwell (now known as Lake George). [Read more…] about 1885: Colonial Relics Found Near A Lake George Church
1886: Colonel Ephraim Williams Monument Vandalism
It was July 12, 1886, and the Glens Falls Post-Star newspaper published a story entitled “Stop the Vandals.” Relic hunters were destroying the Ephraim Williams Monument obelisk, located off Route 9 four miles south of Lake George, breaking off pieces from the corners of the once “handsome monument.” [Read more…] about 1886: Colonel Ephraim Williams Monument Vandalism
1926: Man Claims A Lightning Bolt Cured His Rheumatism
In the summer of 1926, David Lillie, from the Glenburnie-on-Lake George area, had an unusual experience with lightning. That firebolt would dramatically change his life.
Most American school children can tell you the story of Benjamin Franklin’s 1752 experiment with lightning, a kite and key, and electricity. Yet, lightning is a very scary thing. It is a powerful spark of electricity that happens between the skies and the ground. [Read more…] about 1926: Man Claims A Lightning Bolt Cured His Rheumatism
The Vanishing Hitchhiker of the Glens Falls-Lake George Road
Over the decades, one of the worldwide urban legends has been that of the vanishing hitchhiker. The stories go somewhat like this. A driver of a vehicle offers a ride to a person hitchhiking. After spending time in the car, the stranger seemingly vanishes without any logical explanation. There are numerous versions of this unbelievable story, too. One of those is the traveler is someone who before disappearing offers the motorist a prophecy.
In 1933, the Glens Falls-Lake George Road (Route 9 in Warren County, NY) had its own variant of the vanishing hitchhiker tale. [Read more…] about The Vanishing Hitchhiker of the Glens Falls-Lake George Road
Clive Cussler at the 1994 Shipwreck Weekend at Lake George
Thirty-one years ago, noted novelist and shipwreck hunter Clive Cussler traveled from his residence in Colorado to speak at the 5th Annual Shipwreck Weekend at Lake George, held September 24–25, 1994. By then, Cussler’s Dirk Pitt novels were runaway best sellers. [Read more…] about Clive Cussler at the 1994 Shipwreck Weekend at Lake George
Rare Indigenous Bark Canoes in Lake George
The northeastern Indigenous bark canoe, generally built of birch or elm, but sometimes fashioned of spruce, chestnut, hickory, or basswood, was an efficient vessel. It was lightweight and could be easily portaged from one waterway to another.
A single-bladed paddle was employed to propel the craft. The canoe was a boat in which the paddler, unlike an oarsman, faced in the direction that the vessel traveled. However, the versatile-bark canoe was vulnerable to damage due to its fragility. [Read more…] about Rare Indigenous Bark Canoes in Lake George
A 1973 Warren County UFO Mystery
In 1947, a sighting of an unidentified flying object (UFO) near Mount Rainier in Washington state introduced this phenomenon to the American public. Over a quarter-of-a-century later in December 1973, a mysterious aerial craft may have touched down on the shores of Warren County‘s Glen Lake in the Town of Queensbury.
The picturesque waterway is located four miles south of Lake George. [Read more…] about A 1973 Warren County UFO Mystery
Lake George’s Colonial Era Military Dock (1758-1940s)
It was a wooden-and-stone lakefront structure, an 18th century naval dock. However, it was not until 1992, that the old wharf, located at the south end of Lake George, was recognized as a local landmark.
On Flag Day, June 14, 1992, a blue-and-yellow historic marker, entitled “Military Dock,” was commemorated. The ceremony was organized by the Lake George Historical Association and Bateaux Below, the latter an underwater archaeological organization that studied Lake George shipwrecks. [Read more…] about Lake George’s Colonial Era Military Dock (1758-1940s)