From the winter 1812 “Camp Saranac” (Pike’s Cantonment) to the fortifications built for the defense and protection of the village of Plattsburgh and the important military stores in 1814 (Forts Brown, Moreau, and Scott, the wooden barracks and two additional forts – Forts Gaines and Tompkins – in 1815), the Plattsburgh Stone Barracks in 1838, the brick “brownstones” of the 1890s, to the establishment of the Army’s “Plattsburgh Barracks” in 1945 and the “new base” of the Air Force in the 1950s, the military presence in Plattsburgh have had a long and interesting past. [Read more…] about 1888: The First National Monument to Unknown Soldiers
Battle of Plattsburgh
Aitkin’s Rifles: Mementos of the Battle of Plattsburgh
By any measure, things were looking very grim for General Alexander Macomb and his army on September 3, 1814. Scouting reports indicated that as many as 11,000 battle-hardened British troops were moving south along the western shore of Lake Champlain with Plattsburgh in their sights, and most Plattsburgh inhabitants had left for safer quarters. [Read more…] about Aitkin’s Rifles: Mementos of the Battle of Plattsburgh
William Beaumont, Father of Gastric Physiology
One of the important historical figures of Clinton County, who is not often mentioned, is Dr. William Beaumont (1785 – 1853), considered “The Father of Gastric Physiology.”
His name is honored across the nation on schools and hospitals and locally on historic markers, a SUNY Plattsburgh building, and a local medical practice. [Read more…] about William Beaumont, Father of Gastric Physiology
The Two Alexander Macombs: A Slaveholder & A Duplicitous Negotiator
Alexander Macomb, the elder, (1748–1831) was a fur trader, land and currency speculator, and slaveholder who supported the British during the American Revolution and provided the occupying British army with trade goods. [Read more…] about The Two Alexander Macombs: A Slaveholder & A Duplicitous Negotiator
Arto Monaco’s Valcour, Plattsburgh Battle Dioramas Being Conserved
The Clinton County Historical Association has announce it has received a Conservation Treatment Grant from the Greater Hudson Heritage Network for the conservation of a diorama created by Adirondack artist and theme park creator Arto Monaco (1913-2003).
The diorama was a gift from the Plattsburgh Rotary who commissioned the work for the 1976 United States Bicentennial celebration. It’s been moved to several locations over the years, resting finally within the CCHA Museum at 98 Ohio Avenue on the Old Base Museum Campus in Plattsburgh, NY. [Read more…] about Arto Monaco’s Valcour, Plattsburgh Battle Dioramas Being Conserved
Valcour Island: Keeping The Cause of Liberty Alive
The summer of 1776 was among the most perilous periods of the Revolutionary War, and almost all the action took place in New York. The young nation tottered on the edge of destruction that summer.
With an army of 20,000 men, George Washington could not hold New York City against an enemy force twice as large. The British drove him out of the city and across New Jersey into Pennsylvania. By December, he had 3,000 men left and was admitting to his brother, “I think the game is pretty near up.” [Read more…] about Valcour Island: Keeping The Cause of Liberty Alive
Test Your Battle of Plattsburgh Knowledge
September marks the anniversary of the Battle of Plattsburgh.
There were two battles at Plattsburgh however, one on the bay and one on land. This quiz covers the land battle and related subjects. See if you can answer a few, and learn a few fun facts in the bargain. [Read more…] about Test Your Battle of Plattsburgh Knowledge
Q&A: Test Your Battle of Plattsburgh Knowledge
The Battle of Plattsburgh celebration is upon us again, so there’s no better time than now for a little Q&A to test your knowledge (and you’ll learn stuff, too!) about a truly remarkable victory.
The focus here is on Commodore Thomas Macdonough, who was lauded nationally as a hero for his actions on Lake Champlain. On Plattsburgh’s museum campus (located on the former air base property), you’ll find the Battle of Plattsburgh Association’s War of 1812 Museum, and check out the schedule of events for the 2017 Battle of Plattsburgh commemoration running from September 7–10. There’s something for everyone, with plenty of great family venues. [Read more…] about Q&A: Test Your Battle of Plattsburgh Knowledge
John Quincy Adams, Treaty of Ghent Event
The Clinton County Historical Association (CCHA) will host a presentation by Vincent Puliafico on the Treaty of Ghent on Monday, December 1st at 7 pm. Using John Quincy Adams diary and other sources, Puliafico impersonates John Adams, giving a chronological presentation on the Treaty of Ghent negotiations.
The presentation emphasizes how the news of the Battle of Plattsburgh arrived and affected the mood at the peace table discussions. Other questions answered include, who won the War of 1812 and what was gained? [Read more…] about John Quincy Adams, Treaty of Ghent Event
Talk Marks Battle of Plattsburgh Bicentennial
Author and historian Alan Taylor will present a lecture entitled “The Civil War of 1812: A Continent Divided” on Friday, September 19, at 7:30 p.m. at the Whallonsburg Grange Hall, 1610 NYS Route 22 (at Whallons Bay Road) as part of the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Plattsburgh.
A leading historian of early United States history, Alan Taylor won a 2014 Pulitzer Prize for his book The Internal Enemy: Slavery and War in Virginia, 1772-1832. He was also a Pulitzer Prize recipient in 1996 for William Cooper’s Town: Power and Persuasion on the Frontier of the Early American Republic. Taylor currently teaches at the University of Virginia. [Read more…] about Talk Marks Battle of Plattsburgh Bicentennial