It's often been referred to as Fort Blunder.
But Fort Montgomery, near the U.S.-Canadian border, still stands overlooking Lake Champlain in Rouses Point. Today, though, it represents just a very small snapshot of what the fort looked like when it was built during the Civil War era as a northernmost defense against invaders coming into the country via the lake.
It was partially dismantled in the 1930s, some of its stone walls crushed and used as fill for construction of the nearby bridge to Vermont. Not many were concerned about historical preservation in those days, we would guess.
But the fort has undergone a transformation, of sorts, recently. The Rouses Point-Champlain Historical Society has been involved in an extensive cleanup project at the site of the fort, located just north of the village. A number of local residents have spent many days trimming brush, picking up debris, making the historical structure more accessible and uncovering more of the external stonework.
That yeoman effort has been supplemented by the work of historian Jim Millard, who has written books about the fort. He's spent 10 years researching Fort Montgomery and has studied every inch of the existing structure, while at the same time taken steps to protect what remains of the fort.
He submitted an application to the Preservation League of New York State last year that would identify Fort Montgomery as one of seven "Sites to Save" for historical preservation. It was accepted. Although the fort will never be restored, he says, what we have can be preserved, but it needs to be in the hands of an organization or the state. There's no money involved, but the fort is an important part of our heritage, and it needs to be saved, he says.
We couldn't agree more.
To celebrate the fort's reincarnation, an open house is planned for Saturday and Sunday. The parade grounds will be filled with Civil War re-enactors and vendors and tours of the fort will be offered, the first official public access since the 1980s, although Millard and the Historical Society have been holding weekend guided tours recently that have been very successful.
The open house corresponds with New York state's Heritage Weekend and the Battle of Plattsburgh celebration. For tourists of things historic, the weekend will be a special treat around here.
One corner of the fort, which includes the ovens and a weapons armory, remains intact; it hasn't changed much in 150 years. Other areas will be off-limits because of their structural integrity.
It'll be worth the visit, thanks to the efforts of Millard and the Historical Society.
Opinion
EDITORIAL: Fort Montgomery preservation effort
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