Fort William Henry

Fort William Henry was built in 1755 by American provincial forces during the French and Indian War.  It protected the northern end of what Natives called "The Great Carry", the sixteen-mile portage between the Hudson River and Lake George.  As such, it commanded a key junction along a water corridor that stretched from New York City to Montreal.  This corridor would be a pathway of communication and conflict for centuries.  Fort William Henry would be attacked twice, falling only after a lengthy siege in 1757.  Following the surrender, the British and colonial forces would endure what became known as the "massacre at Fort William Henry".  Fury over this event would spur new efforts by the British and their colonies to defeat the French in North America once and for all, which they would achieve just two and a half years later.  These events and this location would also inspire James Fenimore Cooper to write The Last of the Mohicans.  Although the fort itself was destroyed, the pathway could continue to serve in times of war, as cannon from nearby Ticonderoga passed the fort's ruins on their way to help George Washington expel the British from Boston in 1776. After extensive archeological work during the 1950's, the fort was rebuilt on the original site, using the original plans.  It is open from the end of April through October, seven days a week.  

Lake George NY Attraction: The Fort William Henry Historical Fortress & Museum (fwhmuseum.com)