Join the Lake George Battlefield Park Alliance and the French & Indian War Society at Lake George for “James Fenimore Cooper: History & Fiction in ‘The Last of the Mohicans,’” a presentation by Dr. Nick Junkerman (YUNK-er-man) – an associate professor of English Literature at Skidmore College – at The Fort William Henry Conference Center at 7:00 PM on Thursday, August 3rd.

James Fenimore Cooper’s iconic “The Last of the Mohicans” is an American classic, a beloved tale of a dashing hero, ladies in distress, and a clash of nations… But it’s a fictionalized account of the Siege of Fort William Henry. So, how close is it to the truth of what happened 266 years ago?.. Cooper’s story is one of five works of historical fiction he wrote between 1823 and 1841, collectively called “The Leatherstocking Tales”. Cooper’s heroes were Natty Bumppo (also called “Hawkeye”), born to white parents but raised among indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, his foster brother Chingachgook, and his nephew Uncas.

First published in 1826, The Last of the Mohicans is a gripping tale of the bloody conflicts that roiled the Lake George Region in the middle of the 18th Century – specifically when French and indigenous forces attacked Fort William Henry in 1757, two years after its construction by the British. Dr. Junkerman’s talk explores the fateful historical events that took place in and around the fort during August 1757, and some differences in the fictional account depicted in Cooper’s novel.

“Mohicans” has been adapted into numerous film versions, most recently in 1992 with Daniel Day-Lewis as Natty Bumppo/Hawkeye… That movie was filmed in North Carolina, but there has been renewed interest in the Lake George Region, where the real-life events occurred and where the novel was set. Although the actual fort burned away in 1757, a replica was built in the 1950s where the original once stood.

“Every day, guests come to the Fort William Henry Museum who either read Cooper’s book or saw the movie,” said Kathy Flacke Muncil, CEO of Fort William Henry Corp. “Our guides separate fact from fiction so visitors leave with a better understanding of this era in history.” The French and Indian War was a complex, lengthy power struggle for control of North America.

Cooper’s depiction of the siege published nearly 70 years later was so popular, it became the most recognized event of the French and Indian War, according to Russell P. Bellico, a trustee of the Lake George Battlefield Park Alliance and author of “Empires in the Mountains” and several other books on the region’s vast history: “The 1757 siege of Fort William Henry and the adjacent entrenched camp (present-day Lake George Battlefield Park), and the subsequent ‘massacre’ were indelibly etched into the psyche of American colonists through vivid contemporary newspaper accounts. Rallying provincial troops at Crown Point in 1760 on the eve of the last campaign of the war in North America, Brigadier General Timothy Ruggles called on troops to ‘Remember [Fort] William Henry… and the Massacres there!’” Bellico said.

Space is limited, so those planning to attend the program are encouraged to register in advance at the following email address: info@lakegeorgebattlefield.org. For more information, please visit lakegeorgebattlefield.org

On Friday, August 18th, 2023, the Kiwanis Club of Glens Falls and the Tri-County United Way will be hosting the “A Putt Above” Golf Classic at Cronin’s Golf Resort in Warrensburg. This event features a four-person scramble, with a shotgun start at 12:30 PM. Presenting sponsors for this event are Albany Med Health System, and Glens Falls Hospital. 

Sponsorship opportunities are still available! Teams and individuals are welcome, $125.00 per player or $500.00 per team – this includes cart rental, lunch from 11:30PM to 12:30 PM, beverages, prizes, and a steak dinner followed by awards. 

The Tri-County United Way as an organization is dedicated to helping people improve their lives and make a positive impact on communities. Tri-County United Way encourages volunteerism, and resolving community problems through identifying and communicating community priorities. 

The Kiwanis Club of Glens Falls is a service organization that contributes to the well being of the community through fundraising and community service.  For more information about the “A Putt Above” Golf Classic, please visit tricountyunitedway.org

On Tuesday, July 11th, 2023, The Lake George Battlefield Park Visitor Center at 75 Fort George Road unveiled a new diorama, depicting General Abercrombie’s historic 1758 flotilla of 15,000 troops leaving from the head of Lake George towards their defeat by the French at Ticonderoga.

The Lake George Battlefield Park Alliance (LGBA) was established in 2001 as a volunteer-driven organization focused on the Lake George Region’s critical role in the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. The Alliance manages the Battlefield Park’s Visitor Center, and sponsors events throughout the year that educate the public: “My vision of Lake George is a mini Gettysburg…We are in a very special time of the history (pun intended) of our community,” said John DiNuzzo, President of the LGBA.

Last September, a call from “The Adirondack Experience – The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake” initiated the diorama being exhibited. The diorama depicts an event that happened along the shore of the south basin of Lake George, right outside the visitor center windows: “The largest flotilla in North American history left from these shores in this town in 1758… Unfortunately for Abercrombie, the 4,000 or so French successfully resisted that attack. It wasn’t until the following year that the British were able to take Ticonderoga, and take Crown Point,” DiNuzzo said. 

Marisa Muratori was on hand from the Lake George Town Board: “It’s a battle that has been spoken of for generations… I’ve known about it since I was a kid. They say that there were so many Bateaux on the lake at the south basin that were going to Ticonderoga, that you couldn’t see the water… It must have been an extraordinary moment, and I think this is beautifully depicted,” she said.

For more information, please visit Lakegeorgebattlefield.org

The committee that is overseeing the plans to create a museum commemorating the life of Joseph Warren – the 18th century physician for whom Warren County was named – recently met to continue their review of design features for the museum.

Without Joseph Warren’s contributions to American history, there would be no Warren County! Warren County Historical Society wants to share Warren’s story with residents and visitors alike by creating a museum that would sit on Warren County property in Queensbury.

Warren, a physician, served as president of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress, which was established by the colonists after the British disbanded the colonial legislature, and was a leader of the Sons of Liberty. He was killed June 17th, 1775, while fighting in the Battle of Bunker Hill in Massachusetts.

Representatives of Warren County Historical Society are proposing transforming a vacant home owned by Warren County next to Historical Society Headquarters on Gurney Lane into a Visitor Center and Museum using memorabilia from Warren’s life.

This museum would include a collection of Joseph Warren memorabilia and art… The building will be redesigned to resemble Joseph Warren’s birth home, during a five-year development project.

Warren County was created in 1813, and named in Joseph’s honor. The goal is to have the project completed by 2025, which is Warren County’s 250th birthday.