LOCALadk Magazine

Deep in the mountains and woods of the Adirondacks, long before there was a Blue Line, before roads were cut to make travel accessible, there was Fort Ticonderoga. An outpost like this would seem to be too remote, far too isolated to support any semblance of sustainable living, yet there was a small community of military and their families who lived and maintained a working lifestyle thanks to the support and distribution system that the military provided. Beth Hill continues: "e archaeological remains at the fort reflect the global trade that reached Ticonderoga during the 18th century, from Chinese porcelain to British Delware and fragile wine glasses. e museum's artifacts reflect the sophisticated reach of global trade at this time in history and how these products reached places like Ticonderoga. ese influences spanned a broad array of cultural representation from France, Germany, Britain, Sweden, Africa, and Scotland. Fort Ticonderoga was a melting pot of international connections." If you think the o-quoted story that the Native American word "Adirondack" translates to "bark eater" (meaning that the only way to survive the harsh winters was to resort to eating tree bark), is true, you would be somewhat mistaken given the example of Fort Ticonderoga—somewhat, but not entirely. Soldiers were given meager rations that included salt pork and beef brought in from elsewhere, only occasionally supplemented with regional wildlife. For the most part, soldiers were not allowed off post, and the use of military weapons and ammunition outside of combat was not usually permitted. Store vendors (sutlers) who followed the troops would occasionally bring in relished supplies such as lemons, sugar, and liquor, as well as other items that found their way to the fort from a point in Montreal, Canada. In winter months, when supplies were very tight, soldiers might have to rely on bread made from peas, since flour could be hard to come by. Officers, of course, were oen offered a more diverse menu, but in general, the food was bland. Ticonderoga did supplement rations with produce from the King's Garden. at garden is still maintained today and serves as a resource for enactment staff meals and the restaurants on-site. In the 18th century, some of the produce grown at Ticonderoga was shipped to the hospital at Fort George. e fort included crasmen, from tailors and shoemakers to blacksmiths, carpenters, cooks, and bakers. It was a self-sustaining village just like many others during the early days of our country. As I parked my car and stepped onto this historic land, I was struck by the initial vista. It encapsulated an inlet of Lake Champlain, the shores of New York and Vermont, the majestic Adirondack Mountains, and Mount Defiance—all just a stone's throw from the base of the fort's property. is was not the Fort Ticonderoga that I remembered from my youth. LOCALadk 21

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