The Fort William Henry Museum is kicking off its 70th Anniversary celebration on Saturday, March 23 with a Sutlers’ Fair, French and Indian War reenactments and historian talks. The events, presented by the French and Indian War Society of Lake George, will be held at the Fort William Henry Conference Center and in Lake George Battlefield Park. Admission is free.
The Sutlers’ Fair will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The fair will feature historical sutlers and crafts with demonstrations, displays and sales. Reenactor groups from different eras will be on hand to discuss the figures they represent and what is involved in being a reenactor. Local breweries, wineries and distilleries will be offering tastings and sales of their craft beverages.
At 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., reenactors will converge in Battlefield Park to demonstrate “petite guerre,” a type of wilderness warfare. The Battlefield Park Visitor’s Center, which holds numerous Battle of Lake George and Siege of Fort William Henry artifacts, will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. There is no charge for entrance to the Visitor’s Center, which is located on Fort George Road in Battlefield Park. Fort William Henry invites spectators and reenactors to the Conference Center to warm up following the battle demonstrations.
Melanie Sawyer, star of The History Channel series “Alone,” will give a talk at 3 p.m. titled: “Survival on the Frontier: Foraging in the Adirondacks.” She will share her experiences living off the grid focusing on healthy foods historically found in the Adirondacks. She will also discuss survival methods Adirondackers have relied on for centuries.
Author, history professor and reenactor Dr. Steven C. Eames will deliver the event’s keynote address. He will discuss warfare on the Northeastern frontier during the French and Indian War. Eames is the author of “Rustic Warriors: Warfare and the Provincial Soldier on the New England Frontier, 1689-1748.”
British General William Johnson commissioned the building of the original Fort William Henry in 1755 to strengthen British defenses against the French as the two empires battled for control of the important water route. The fort fell in 1757 after a 6-day siege by the French under the command of the Marquis de Montcalm. The surrender was followed by what became known as the “Massacre of Fort William Henry.” Following the massacre, Montcalm had the fort burned to the ground.
In the early 1950s, a group of businessmen had the property excavated and built a replica of William Johnson’s fort following the original footprint. For 70 years, the replica has been open to the public. Tour guides lead visitors through the fort and discuss life and warfare in an 18th-century fortress. Fort William Henry Museum will open for the Season on April 27.