Crown Point State Historic Site

Crown Point State Historic Site

Located on the west shore of Lake Champlain in the state of New York, Crown Point State Historic Site preserves the remains of two military fortifications dating from the eighteenth century. The strategic position of this peninsula, on the communication route between Montreal and Albany, made it an important location during the conflicts between the French and the British for control of North America.

The French built Fort Saint-Frédéric there between 1734 and 1737. In 1759 the British took possession of the site and began the construction of a new fortress, known as Fort Crown Point. This large military installation was among the most important British fortifications of the period in North America.

During the American Revolutionary War, American forces seized the fort in May 1775 in order to recover, among other things, its artillery. The British regained control of the site in 1777 and held it until the end of the conflict. The state of New York acquired the ruins and the surrounding grounds in 1910 to ensure their preservation.

Today the site allows visitors to explore the remains of the two forts and to visit a museum displaying historical objects, scale models, and exhibits on the military history of the region. The grounds also include walking trails and provide access to viewpoints over Lake Champlain and the bridge linking Crown Point, New York, to Chimney Point, Vermont.