Crown Point State Historic Site

Long before the Revolution, the British and the French both claimed Crown Point in the struggle for a North American empire. Four failed campaigns to oust the French between 1755 and 1758 were mounted by the British. It was not until 1759, however, that the abandoned French Fort St. Frederic was taken over by the British.

The British immediately began construction of “His Majesty’s Fort of Crown Point.” The largest British stronghold ever built in North America, the fort contributed to the British conquest of Canada, the last French stronghold, and control of Lake Champlain as a communication highway.

In 1775, at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, the rebellious colonists captured the fort and secured sorely needed cannons and heavy ordnance. Crown Point was then occupied by General John Burgoyne’s army in 1777, after the American evacuation to Mount Independence and remained under British control until the end of the war. The ruins of Fort St. Frederic, “His Majesty’s Fort of Crown Point,” and surrounding lands were acquired by the State of New York in 1910.

Today, visitors can explore the ruins of the original 18th-century structures and tour the newly-renovated museum, which includes an auditorium where visitors can watch an award-winning multimedia orientation program before touring the exhibits and grounds. Across the street, the historic Crown Point Pier and Champlain Memorial Lighthouse also beautifully restored last year are open to the public.

This small museum, located on the grounds of the Crown Point State Historic Site, is newly-renovated with history exhibits and video presentations. There is a small admission fee for the museum.

Season and Hours Open
Grounds are open 9 am to 6 pm until Columbus Day, or otherwise by appointment. •Museum: 5/15 – 10/17. Thurs-Mon. 9:30 am – 5 pm.
Don’t Miss This When Visiting
With part of the site designated as an Audubon Important Bird Area, Crown Point is an excellent site for bird watching enthusiasts. Over 180 different bird species have been identified at Crown Point Peninsula, and as the peninsula is a natural migrant trap, over 47 species of neo-tropical migratory songbirds and 18 species of forest dwelling neo-tropical migrants can be observed in the spring.

Crown Point’s bird banding station has been in operation since 1976 and since that time, over 15,000 birds of 98 species have been banded. During the banding season in May, Mike Peterson and his team invite visitors for demonstrations.

Crown Point has a wide range of amenities and activities available to visitors. There are resources available for cross-country skiing, biking, picnicking, hiking, and much more!

Related Sites Or Experiences
After you visit Crown Point State Historic Site check out the Penfield Homestead Museum and learn about the history of the Ironworking Industry in the North Country during the 19th century.

Suggested Further Reading
To read more about birding at Crown Point, check out: “Adirondack Birding – 60 Great Places to Find Birds”.

Park and museum information.

Additional Notes And Comments
There is a fee charged for admission to the Museum. There is no fee to tour the ruins:
Adults – $4.00
Senior Citizens (over 62)
$3.00; Students (with valid ID) – $2.00
Children (12 and under) – free
non-Profit Buses – $35.00
Commercial Buses – $75.00
Group rates available by reservation in advance.

Fees
yes
Tours Are Offered
yes
Site is Child-friendly
yes
Comments
The museum has a great display and makes good use of the archaeology that was done at the site. We appreciated the fact that the ruins of the forts have been permitted to speak to the imagination of the visitors rather than having been replaced by costly reconstructions. A great visitor experience. We will go back.

Kirsti Uunila, 7/18/2011