About the North Country:
History of the region closely linked to Lake Champlain
From the 1700s and the French and Indian Wars through the Cold War, the Champlain Valley and its surrounding regions have had a close connection with the formation and growth of the nation.
The Tri-County region -- lovingly labeled the "North Country" by those who live in Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties -- has a rich and varied history, both geologically and culturally. At one time, much of the region was covered by a huge inland sea, and the Adirondack Mountain peaks are a visual reminder of the power the earth has used to create its current splendor. Human settlers found their way to the shores of Lake Champlain centuries before the lake had a name, and people have been moving inland ever since.
The lake, in fact, has had the most pronounced influence on the history of northeastern New York and has played an integral part in the growth of the nation itself. When Samuel de Champlain first sailed on the pristine water in 1609, it had already become useful as a waterway for the Native Americans who survived because of the wealth the lake and surrounding countryside offered them. But his presence announced the arrival of the European settler, and soon the word of a navigable waterway leading to the interior of the New World spread like wildfire.
Over the next two centuries, the lake would play a profound role in the fight for independence as a new nation began to take shape. In the mid-1700s, the French and Indian Wars -- in many ways a precursor to the War for Independence -- brought significant action to areas such as Crown Point, where the remains of that historic fortress remain as a popular attraction for visitors each year.
The lake is dotted with historic reminders of the nation's birth: Fort Ticonderoga, one of the most strategic military locations on the lake; Valcour Island, site of one of the most significant and least understood conflicts in all the Revolutionary War; Cumberland Bay, where a much smaller American force defeated the invading British Navy during the War of 1812 and in all purposes securing the new nation's freedom forever; and Rouses Point where the remains of a 19th Century edifice will always be associated with one of the nation's major goofs as it is still called "Fort Blunder."
The lake's significance continued beyond its military connection as the North Country became the focus of such lucrative industries as iron ore and logging. Humans continued to use Lake Champlain well into the 20th Century to reach those precious commodities and to retrieve them from the wilds of northeastern New York. Today, the lake bottom is littered with ghostly reminders of that industrial traffic with shipwrecks from the era.
The lake's three main tributaries on the New York shore -- the Chazy, Saranac and Ausable rivers -- all led explorers, settlers and merchants into the North Country's region. The industrial use of the waterways eventually led to more recreational use as the Adirondacks became a "play land" for the wealthy. Today, hundreds of "great camps" remain as a testament to those rustic vacationers.
But the true heart of the region's history continues to be the people who have lived here for generation after generation. The Adirondack Park is unique in its blend of protected public land and developed private property, but the residents have always stood firmly in protecting their right to earn a living from the land. Whether it's the well-known American figures of John Brown (the nationally known abolitionist whose body lies near Lake Placid or Almanzo Wilder (who grew up on a farm near Malone well before meeting his future bride, Laura Ingalls, of "Little House on the Prairie" fame), or the every-day resident who is known only by his friends and family, the people of the region make the North Country what it is today.
From the 1700s and the French and Indian Wars through the Cold War, the Champlain Valley and its surrounding regions have had a close connection with the formation and growth of the nation.
The Tri-County region -- lovingly labeled the "North Country" by those who live in Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties -- has a rich and varied history, both geologically and culturally. At one time, much of the region was covered by a huge inland sea, and the Adirondack Mountain peaks are a visual reminder of the power the earth has used to create its current splendor. Human settlers found their way to the shores of Lake Champlain centuries before the lake had a name, and people have been moving inland ever since.
The lake, in fact, has had the most pronounced influence on the history of northeastern New York and has played an integral part in the growth of the nation itself. When Samuel de Champlain first sailed on the pristine water in 1609, it had already become useful as a waterway for the Native Americans who survived because of the wealth the lake and surrounding countryside offered them. But his presence announced the arrival of the European settler, and soon the word of a navigable waterway leading to the interior of the New World spread like wildfire.
Over the next two centuries, the lake would play a profound role in the fight for independence as a new nation began to take shape. In the mid-1700s, the French and Indian Wars -- in many ways a precursor to the War for Independence -- brought significant action to areas such as Crown Point, where the remains of that historic fortress remain as a popular attraction for visitors each year.
The lake is dotted with historic reminders of the nation's birth: Fort Ticonderoga, one of the most strategic military locations on the lake; Valcour Island, site of one of the most significant and least understood conflicts in all the Revolutionary War; Cumberland Bay, where a much smaller American force defeated the invading British Navy during the War of 1812 and in all purposes securing the new nation's freedom forever; and Rouses Point where the remains of a 19th Century edifice will always be associated with one of the nation's major goofs as it is still called "Fort Blunder."
The lake's significance continued beyond its military connection as the North Country became the focus of such lucrative industries as iron ore and logging. Humans continued to use Lake Champlain well into the 20th Century to reach those precious commodities and to retrieve them from the wilds of northeastern New York. Today, the lake bottom is littered with ghostly reminders of that industrial traffic with shipwrecks from the era.
The lake's three main tributaries on the New York shore -- the Chazy, Saranac and Ausable rivers -- all led explorers, settlers and merchants into the North Country's region. The industrial use of the waterways eventually led to more recreational use as the Adirondacks became a "play land" for the wealthy. Today, hundreds of "great camps" remain as a testament to those rustic vacationers.
But the true heart of the region's history continues to be the people who have lived here for generation after generation. The Adirondack Park is unique in its blend of protected public land and developed private property, but the residents have always stood firmly in protecting their right to earn a living from the land. Whether it's the well-known American figures of John Brown (the nationally known abolitionist whose body lies near Lake Placid or Almanzo Wilder (who grew up on a farm near Malone well before meeting his future bride, Laura Ingalls, of "Little House on the Prairie" fame), or the every-day resident who is known only by his friends and family, the people of the region make the North Country what it is today.