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| governing_body = [[New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation]]
| governing_body = [[New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation]]
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''Crown Point''', was a [[Kingdom of Great Britain|British]] [[fort]] built in [[North America]] in 1759 on [[Lake Champlain]] on the border between modern [[New York State]] and [[Vermont]]. Erected to secure the region against the French, the Fort is located near the town of [[Crown Point, New York]] and was the largest earthen fortress built in the [[United States]].
''Crown Point'', was a [[Kingdom of Great Britain|British]] [[fort]] built by the combined efforts of both British and Provincial troops (from New York and the New England Colonies) in [[North America]] in 1759 at narrows on [[Lake Champlain]] on the border between modern [[New York State]] and [[Vermont]]. Erected to secure the region against the French, the Fort is located near the town of [[Crown Point, New York]] and was the largest earthen fortress built in the [[United States]].


==History==
==History==

Revision as of 18:17, 4 May 2010

Fort Crown Point
Ruins of the fort
LocationCrown Point, New York, NY
Nearest cityBurlington, VT
Area11,800 acres (4,800 ha)
Built1759
NRHP reference No.68000033
Significant dates
Added to NRHPNovember 24, 1968[1]
Designated NHLNovember 24, 1968[2]

Crown Point, was a British fort built by the combined efforts of both British and Provincial troops (from New York and the New England Colonies) in North America in 1759 at narrows on Lake Champlain on the border between modern New York State and Vermont. Erected to secure the region against the French, the Fort is located near the town of Crown Point, New York and was the largest earthen fortress built in the United States.

History

The French first built a fortress at Crown Point in the 1730s with 12-foot (3.7 m) thick limestone walls named Fort St. Frederic. British forces targeted it twice during the French and Indian War before the French blew it up in the summer of 1759.[3]

The Crown Point fort was constructed by the British army under the command of Sir Jeffery Amherst following the capture of Carillon a French fort to the south (which he renamed Ticonderoga) and the destruction of Fort St. Frédéric. Amherst used the construction of the fort as a means of keeping his men working through the winter of 1759 after pushing the French into modern Canada.

The Fort was never directly assaulted. Mostly built after the threat of French invasion was over, it was used mostly for staging rather than as a position in its own right.

After the French and Indian War the British left only a skeletal force at the Fort, which yielded easily to the Capt. Seth Warner and 100 Green Mountain Boys American militia on May 12, 1775 in the battle of Crown Point at the start of the American Revolution. The 111 cannons liberated from the British ruins at Crown Point, so early after the outbreak of the War for American Independence, soon proved valuable in driving the British out of Boston Harbor. The Fort was used as a staging ground by Benedict Arnold during the Revolution for his navy on Lake Champlain. After the destruction of that navy in 1776 during the Battle of Valcour Island, the Fort was abandoned to the British in 1777. It was abandoned for good in 1780.

The large earthen walls of the Fort are still visible today. A massive, accidental fire in April 1773 entirely destroyed the log and earth fortress, leaving the empty stone ruins of two barracks buildings standing. These ruins still stand and are being carefully preserved.

The Fort was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1968.[2][4][5]

Visits by Founding Fathers

  • A south view of Crown Point 1760 by Thomas Davies.
    A south view of Crown Point 1760 by Thomas Davies.
  • Ruins of Fort at Crown Point, Crown Point, N.Y. circa 1902.
    Ruins of Fort at Crown Point, Crown Point, N.Y. circa 1902.
  • Ruins of Fort at Crown Point, Crown Point, N.Y. circa 1907.
    Ruins of Fort at Crown Point, Crown Point, N.Y. circa 1907.
  • Ruins of Fort at Crown Point, Crown Point, N.Y. between 1900 and 1906.
    Ruins of Fort at Crown Point, Crown Point, N.Y. between 1900 and 1906.
  • Port Henry from Crown Point, Crown Point, N.Y. Photograph shows view across Lake Champlain at hills in the distance on December 23, 1902.
    Port Henry from Crown Point, Crown Point, N.Y. Photograph shows view across Lake Champlain at hills in the distance on December 23, 1902.
  • Ruins of Fort at Crown Point, Crown Point, N.Y. in 2004.
    Ruins of Fort at Crown Point, Crown Point, N.Y. in 2004.
  • Fort at Crown Point, N.Y. in 1995
    Fort at Crown Point, N.Y. in 1995
  • An historical reenactment at Fort Crown Point, 8 August, 2009.
    An historical reenactment at Fort Crown Point, 8 August, 2009.

See also

References

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2007-01-23.
  2. ^ a b "Fort Crown Point". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. 2007-09-12. Cite error: The named reference "nhlsum" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c d Carola, Chris, Associated Press (July 18, 2008). Crown Point excavation begins. Burlington Free Press.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: year (link)
  4. ^ [[[:Template:PDFlink]] "National Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings"]. National Park Service. 1967-10-25. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  5. ^ [[[:Template:PDFlink]] "National Register of Historic Places Inventory"]. National Park Service. 1967-10-25. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
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