New France

Old Fort Niagara Has Reopened

July 3, 2020 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Old Fort Niagara, is considered the oldest continuously occupied military site in North America. It opened in 1934 as a historic site and public museum. The Fort, originally built to protect the interests of New France in North America, is located near Youngstown, Niagara County, NY, on the eastern bank of the Niagara River at its mouth, on Lake Ontario.

The site has reopened to visitors, following a 15-week closure due to the ongoing pandemic. Daily hours of operation have been shortened slightly from 10 am to 4 pm to allow for extra cleaning before and after hours. [Read more…] about Old Fort Niagara Has Reopened

King William and Queen Anne Wars in NYS

April 22, 2020 by John Warren 6 Comments

In the 1680s and 1690s the latest in a long string of European wars broke out. The War of the Grand Alliance, also known in New York State as King Williams War (1688-1697), pitted France against England, the Netherlands, and Austria.

It quickly spilled over to a bitter conflict of raids and counter-raids which took place between New France and frontier settlements of Eastern New York and Western Massachusetts. Each side employed their Indian allies to fight on their behalf and to guide their small armies to their respective enemies. [Read more…] about King William and Queen Anne Wars in NYS

One Woman, Three Colonial American Worlds

March 18, 2020 by Liz Covart Leave a Comment

Colonial America comprised many different cultural and political worlds. Most colonial Americans inhabited just one world, but today, we’re going to explore the life of a woman who lived in three colonial American worlds: Frontier New England, Northeastern Wabanaki, and Catholic New France.

Road Trip: Montréal, Château Ramezay

July 17, 2019 by Liz Covart Leave a Comment

Did Canada almost join the American Revolution?

In this episode of Ben Franklin’s World, Bruno Paul Stenson, a historian and musicologist with the Château de Ramezay historic site in Montréal, joins us to discuss how the American Revolution played out in Canada. [Read more…] about Road Trip: Montréal, Château Ramezay

In Climbing Mt Washington, Darby Field May Have Sought Lake Champlain

March 5, 2017 by Tony Goodwin Leave a Comment

In the history of mountain climbing in New England, the first ascent of Mt. Washington happened in 1642 with Darby Field as the climber.

Over the years, however, there has been great speculation as to the route that Field took to the summit. Most early speculation assumed that his main goal was to climb the mountain, and that he then took the most direct route as he came in from the Maine coast.

That route would have taken him up the Cutler River and then up the southeast side of Mt. Washington, the Northeast’s tallest mountain. This is the side with Pinkham Notch and Tuckermans Ravine. For many years, this was the “conventional wisdom” regarding this ascent. Then, as referenced in the article below, an ancient letter surfaced that indicated Field had taken an entirely different route to the summit. This different route, as described in the Watermans’ Forest and Crag (1989), included going over several other summits and passing by what are now known as “Lakes of the Clouds.” With this new evidence, the Watermans could clear up much of the earlier speculation regarding Field’s route, but they still admitted that they did not know why Field climbed Mt. Washington. [Read more…] about In Climbing Mt Washington, Darby Field May Have Sought Lake Champlain

French Regiments at Carillon Focus of Fort Ti Talk Sunday

February 10, 2017 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Fort Ticonderoga’s “Fort Fever Series” continues on Sunday, February 12th, at 2 pm with “Vive le Roi! French Regiments at Carillon,” presented by Senior Director of Interpretation, Stuart Lilie.

Most Americans have heard of the Black Watch and Inneskilling Regiments who served the British army at Ticonderoga. Much less well-known are the regimental histories and traditions of the French army.

Franco American Music and Stories Sought

March 8, 2016 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Buffalo based musician and teaching artist Dave Ruch is seeking information on Franco American musicians and singers, past and present, from the Northern New York area.

Ruch is researching French American musical traditions for an upcoming project with Traditional Arts in Upstate New York (TAUNY). Past collaborations between Ruch and TAUNY have included the “W is for the Woods” website on traditional Adirondack music, and the Emmy-winning “Songs to Keep” project. [Read more…] about Franco American Music and Stories Sought

Native American Slavery in New France

January 20, 2016 by Liz Covart Leave a Comment

In this episode of the Ben Franklin’s World podcast, we investigate the practice of Native American or indigenous slavery, a little-known aspect of early American history, with Brett Rushforth, author of Bonds of Alliance: Indigenous and Atlantic Slaveries in New France (University of North Carolina Press, 2014). You can listen to the podcast here: www.benfranklinsworld.com/064

‘Five Formidable Forts’ Tour Set For September

September 4, 2015 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

The public is invited to take a once-ever packaged tour, on Saturday, September 12, 2015, of Champlain lake shore sites where five military forts were built between 238 and 325 years ago.

Historians will lead guests on a tour of the archaeological sites of two early forts (1660, 1731) at Chimney Point in Addison, Vermont; the ruins of two forts (1734, 1759) in Crown Point, New York; and a Revolution War fort site (1776) in Orwell, Vermont. [Read more…] about ‘Five Formidable Forts’ Tour Set For September

17th Century Cannon Returned To New York

August 3, 2015 by Editorial Staff 2 Comments

A cannon dating to the mid 1600s, which had been salvaged from the St. Lawrence River at the head of Carleton Island in the Town of Cape Vincent decades ago, has been returned to New York.

Plans are in the works for a long term loan to allow for the cannon’s display at the Village of Cape Vincent’s East End Park on the shores overlooking Carleton Island, where so much of the cannon’s history played itself out. [Read more…] about 17th Century Cannon Returned To New York