[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 111 (Tuesday, July 8, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1397]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1397]]
 IN RECOGNITION OF THE FORT TICONDEROGA ASSOCIATION ON THE OCCASION OF 
     THE GRAND OPENING OF THE DEBORAH CLARKE MARS EDUCATION CENTER

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                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 8, 2008

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today along with my 
colleague, the Honorable Kirsten Gillibrand to pay tribute to the Fort 
Ticonderoga Association, the non-profit organization chartered by the 
State University of New York Regents to administer the great National 
Historic Landmark at Fort Ticonderoga. This July, the Association will 
open the Deborah Clarke Mars Education Center, which will house an 
authentic re-creation of the magasin du Roi, or ``King's Warehouse'', 
that stood on the Fort's parade ground from 1756 to 1759, as well as 
facilities for educational programs, lectures, and symposia. This 
month, the Fort Ticonderoga Association also observed the 250th 
anniversary of one of the bloodiest conflicts of the French and Indian 
War, the Battle of Carillon, by staging a two-day re-enactment of the 
conflict.
  The Fort Ticonderoga Association was organized in 1931. It has 
carried on the stewardship of the historic site by the Pell family, 
whose members have maintained the Fort since the early 19th century. 
William Ferris Pell, a noted businessman and preservationist, 
originally purchased Fort Ticonderoga and the surrounding lands to 
prevent the stripping of precious materials from the legendary stone 
forts that rest on the site. He established his summer home-turned-
hotel, the Pavillion, on the beautiful grounds, offering affordable 
accommodations to travelers visiting the historic ruins for nearly six 
decades. Stephen Pell, his great-grandson, began restoration of the 
Fort and the Pavillion in 1908; subsequently, the site became a popular 
tourist destination and was added to the National Register of Historic 
Places.
  Fort Ticonderoga and the surrounding grounds have a rich history. Its 
site was originally chosen for its strategic location on the 
Ticonderoga peninsula on the shore of Lake Champlain that protected the 
portage to nearby Lake George. At the time, it was the French Empire's 
southernmost fort in the New World and a sensitive and strategic 
military installation coveted by the world's two largest empires, the 
British and the French. This July will mark the 250th anniversary of 
the Battle of Carillon, a major battle in the French and Indian War in 
which outnumbered French troops led by Louis-Joseph le Marquis de 
Montcalm successfully and valiantly defeated a British attacking force. 
On July 8, 1758, British General James Abercromby led a British and 
colonial army of 16,000 men against a small French force of 3,200 
entrenched at Fort Carillon (the original name of Fort Ticonderoga). 
Despite being outnumbered by more than 4 to 1, the French forces 
prevailed and forced the British to retreat. In honor of their victory, 
the French erected a cross on the battle site, of which a reproduction 
still stands at the ``French Lines'' even today. A year later, British 
forces under Lord Jefferey Amherst successfully conquered the Fort.
  Fort Ticonderoga retained its strategic significance during the 
American Revolution. On May 10, 1775, American soldiers won their first 
victory in the Revolution when they captured Fort Ticonderoga in a 
surprise attack at dawn. The cannons from Ticonderoga were then hauled 
all the way across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by troops led by 
Henry Knox, and used to successfully prosecute the Siege of Boston, 
driving the Redcoats away from the Massachusetts Bay.
  Today, the Fort Ticonderoga Association strives to engage, educate, 
and entertain visitors by sharing the authentic stories of diverse 
cultures that met at the Ticonderoga peninsula in war and peace over 
the last 250 years. Its members achieve this goal through accurate 
historical interpretations, high standards of preservation, and able 
management of the Fort's world-class collections of scholarly works, 
through innovative educational offerings, and with operational 
excellence.
  Under the diligent care of the Association, Fort Ticonderoga has 
earned numerous awards, including the Upstate History Alliance Award of 
Excellence, the Adirondack Architectural Heritage Award of Excellence 
for the Kings' Garden Restoration, and the Preservation League of New 
York State Award of Excellence. Fort Ticonderoga also received a State 
and Local History Certificate of Commendation from the American 
Association for ``America's First Victory.'' Clearly, its role in 
American history left an important legacy for Fort Ticonderoga that 
resonates even today.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that my distinguished colleagues join me in 
recognizing the enormous contributions to the preservation and 
stewardship of American history performed by the Fort Ticonderoga 
Association.

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