Washington, D.C. - In case you missed it, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik published an op-ed in Sun Community News championing Fort Ticonderoga and the crucial importance her district played in the story of our nation’s founding.
Supporting Fort Ticonderoga, One of America’s Favorite Forts
By Congresswoman Elise Stefanik
Our great historic sites like Fort Ticonderoga are living classrooms for our children, communities, and tourists in our region to learn about our nation’s history on the very ground where it took place. Preserving and championing these battlefields and historic areas is one of my greatest privileges as the Representative of New York’s 21st Congressional District and the Co-Chair of the Congressional Battlefield Caucus.
As we prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American Independence, I remain eager to share the crucial importance our region holds in the story of our nation’s founding. The capture of Fort Ticonderoga marked the very first victory for the patriots in the Revolutionary War. It was also where they secured additional artillery that proved crucial to their future successes.
Fort Ticonderoga is one of the North Country’s greatest treasures, and I am honored to have helped The Fort Ticonderoga Association secure $750,000 in funding from the National Park Service (NPS) Semiquincentennial Grant Program this year for the reconstruction and preservation of the fort walls. After hearing concerns from Fort Ticonderoga and stakeholders in my district about only state-owned sites being eligible for this grant program, I worked to expand the eligibility so that nonprofits such as Fort Ticonderoga would also be eligible for this crucial funding avenue. Due to continuous deterioration, the fort walls require major restoration to prevent the loss of significant and irreplaceable parts of our nation’s history.
I also recently helped secure funding for the Fort Ticonderoga Association from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Landmarks of American History and Culture for K-12 Educators grant program. This funding will enable the Fort to offer two week-long workshops next summer for teachers across the country to explore the implications of the American Revolution, which will in turn enrich the educational experiences of our students. Since 2011, Fort Ticonderoga has engaged nearly 300 teachers from 47 states through NEH’s Landmarks grant program. It is estimated that together, the educators will influence over 175,000 students over their teaching careers. Fort Ticonderoga is a national leader in teacher education and innovative storytelling, and I am so proud to be able to assist them in investing in a professional development program for our school teachers.
Preserving our historic sites and battlefields for future generations to enjoy and experience for years to come will remain one of my top priorities in Congress. As we approach the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, I encourage you to check out Fort Ticonderoga’s fantastic living history events, exhibits, and battle reenactments and experience firsthand all the phenomenal commemorative events that are happening right here in our backyard.
Click HERE to read Rep. Stefanik’s op-ed.
