The ruins you are currently standing in are the ruins of His Majesty’s Fort at Crown Point. This fort sits in ruins damaged from an accidental fire. The fort which was primarily made of wood burned when a chimney fire broke out in the barracks. The British fort was manned and of great importance in controlling the Champlain trade route. It’s high vantage point made it easier to defend than fort St. Fredrick. This fort would have been much stronger a position had it not burned from the fire. On May 11, 1775, the British, after losing Fort Ticonderoga further south, would be defeated by a force of 100 Green Mountain Boys who headed up the lake and attacked the fort from the southeast. The battle was bloodless and its victory gave the American forces cannons and supplies for other battlefields in the Revolutionary War. However, this win did not mean the British were done with the fort. In October 1776 the abandoned fort would be retaken by the British who would have to retreat for the winter. They would return in 1777 and hold the fort until they received word that the war was over after the retreat from Saratoga. This fort is a testament to both British and American determination to control the Champlain trade route.
This cache is part of the 2026 New York State Saratoga/Capital District Regional Geocache Challenge! The stamp inside this cache is part of the game, and it is not a trade item – please do not take the stamp. There are geocaches hidden within 19 state parks and historic sites in this park region, and geocachers finding 45 or more will be eligible to receive a 2026 NYS Parks trackable geocoin. If you are interested in taking the challenge, you can pick up a geocache passport at any of the participating parks and sites or download at https://parks.ny.gov (search for 2026NYS Parks Saratoga – Capital Region Passport).
Thomas Davies. 1737-1812. View of Amherst’s army at Crown Point, 1759.