By Saratoga TODAY Newspaper

As America approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, Saratoga’s people, places and stories are reaching new audiences through a new book and a special public event on June 30th celebrating the region’s enduring role in American history.

TV travel host, producer and author Darley Newman will return to Saratoga Springs this summer to celebrate the launch of her new book, Revolutionary Road Trip: Hidden Stories from America’s Founding Journey, which features a dedicated chapter exploring Saratoga’s unique Revolutionary War history, cultural attractions and community stories.

The nationally released book builds on Newman’s Travels with Darley: Revolutionary Road Trip television series, including a nationally broadcast PBS episode filmed throughout Saratoga County. Together, the book and television program showcase the destinations, historic sites, local businesses, artists and community leaders helping preserve and share Saratoga’s story ahead of America’s 250th anniversary.

“In Saratoga, history is truly everywhere and the stories are incredible,” said Newman. “Whether you’re exploring Saratoga National Historical Park, dropping by the bank, going for ice cream, meeting local artists and business owners, or experiencing the community’s vibrant culture, you quickly understand why Saratoga remains such an important part of America’s story. I am excited to return and celebrate the people and places that make this destination so special.”

 The event will bring together residents, visitors, historians, artists and community leaders for an evening focused on Saratoga’s contributions to the nation’s founding and its growing role in America 250 commemorations.

 Featured highlights include:

• A special “Director’s Cut” screening featuring never-before-seen footage and outtakes from the Saratoga-focused Travels with Darley: Revolutionary Road Trip PBS episode
• A discussion with Darley Newman and County Historian and Saratoga 250 Chair Lauren Roberts exploring the region’s pivotal role in the American Revolution and preparations for America 250
• A book launch celebration and signing for Revolutionary Road Trip: Hidden Stories from America’s Founding Journey
• A special performance by Saratoga-based singer-songwriter Cassandra Kubinski, who was featured in the television episode and will perform original music to further inspire audiences

As interest in heritage travel continues to grow ahead of America’s Semiquincentennial, Saratoga is increasingly recognized as one of the nation’s most significant Revolutionary-era destinations. Through storytelling, public television, live events and travel experiences, Newman encourages visitors to discover the people, places and local connections that bring history to life.

Revolutionary Road Trip Book Launch & Director’s Cut Screening

Universal Preservation Hall
June 30th 
5:15pm: Light Reception
6:00pm: Show

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW

Sign Up Now

PBS travel host Darley Newman and Carl Borick, Director of the Charleston Museum, explore historic artifacts while filming for the upcoming semiquincentennial celebrations.

Emmy-nominated PBS host Darley Newman’s new book uncovers the hidden, under-the-radar Revolutionary War sites you’ll actually want to drive to this season.

As the United States rapidly barrels toward its monumental 250th anniversary, the standard historical heavyweights like Boston, Philadelphia and Yorktown are naturally gearing up for massive, crowd-heavy celebrations. But if you want to truly connect with the spirit of 1776 without fighting gridlock or standing in massive tourist lines, your best strategy is to look just beyond the famous landmarks.

Emmy-nominated PBS host and veteran travel expert Darley Newman is doing exactly that with her highly anticipated new book, Revolutionary Road Trip: Hidden Stories of America’s Founding Journey. Dropping just in time for mid-summer travel on June 30th, the book serves as the ultimate blueprint for travelers looking to uncover the fascinating, often-overlooked corners of the original 13 colonies that traditional history textbooks completely skipped over.

Drawing from years of on-the-ground exploration for her hit PBS series and podcast, Travels with Darley—which is currently filming its milestone 100th episode season—Newman takes readers on a vivid, firsthand trek through small-town taverns, hidden battlefields, and historic communities that are actively keeping America’s founding stories alive.

“When people think about the American Revolution, they often picture places like Boston, Philadelphia, and Yorktown,” said Newman. “I traveled beyond those well-known locations to uncover hidden gems and explore how everyday people shaped the nation’s founding in remarkable ways. I hope readers are inspired to visit these places and experience history where it happened.”

The narrative blends deep, meaningful historical context with lighthearted road-trip adventures, whether Newman is sampling Martha Washington’s famous Cherry Bounce cocktail recipe or walking the solemn grounds of South Carolina’s Camden Battlefield alongside a veteran military historian.

Instead of just recounting dates and battles, the book acts as a practical, inspiration-driven travel guide highlighting spectacular, low-key destinations you can easily drive to right now.

Newman shines a brilliant spotlight on the incredible local preservation efforts and culinary scenes in gorgeous, photogenic regions like Pennsylvania’s Brandywine Valley and York County, the historic streets of Princeton, New Jersey, the sweeping landscapes of Saratoga, New York, and the charming colonial towns of Delaware and North Carolina.

Ultimately, Revolutionary Road Trip proves that the best way to celebrate the nation’s big milestone isn’t just by staring at a statue—it’s by getting behind the wheel, hitting the pavement and experiencing history right where it actually happened.

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW

Sign Up Now

Interview by NEWS10 ABC

Watch NEWS10 ABC’s interview with Lauren Roberts, Saratoga County Historian and Saratoga 250 Chair, on the region’s Revolutionary War legacy ahead of America’s 250th birthday.

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW

Sign Up Now

By Samantha House | shouse@syracuse.com

America celebrates its 250th birthday this year on the Fourth of July.

And according to a new ranking, one of the best ways to commemorate the nation’s birth is with a stroll through the historic Upstate New York battlefield where the American Revolution took a pivotal step toward victory.

The Saratoga National Historical Park has been named one of eight “must-see” American Revolution landmarks by USA Today’s 10Best. In particular, 10Best crowned the Capital Region park America’s best battlefield walk.

The list of must-visit spots included one other historical Upstate spot: Fort Ticonderoga in the Adirondacks.

The Saratoga National Historical Park consists of about 3,400 acres, about 11 miles east of Saratoga Springs.

The national park is made up of three sites: the 3,000-acre Battlefield in Stillwater; General Schuyler House in Schuylerville, about 8 miles north of the Battlefield; and the towering Saratoga Monument, less than 1 mile west of Schuyler House.

Two important victories in America’s battle for independence from Britain occurred on the Saratoga Battlefield in the fall of 1777, when American soldiers forced the British to surrender.

According to 10Best, the Saratoga National Historical Park preserves the spot where “the crucial moments in determining the outcome of the American Revolutionary War” took place.

The Saratoga park is full of treasures to explore, from cannons perched over Bemis Heights, the ridge overlooking the Hudson River Valley, to the John Neilson Farmhouse, the tidy, red one-room home that served as a headquarters building for the American army.

In its ranking, 10Best noted the many ways visitors can experience the battlefield, from a 10-mile driving tour supplemented by audio and interpretive signs to hiking, biking and horseback riding trails.

The national park, where costumed reenactors sometimes fire muskets and bring the Revolutionary War to life, preserves other important sites. That includes the place where the British surrendered; the estate owned by Philip Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton’s father-in-law; and the 155-foot stone obelisk erected to commemorate America’s key victories.

Fort Ticonderoga, one of the other “must-visit” American Revolution landmarks included on 10Best’s list, is about 70 miles north of the Saratoga National Historical Park.

Built in the 1750s, the star-shaped fort on the shore of Lake Champlain made history as the location of the Continental Army’s first victory when the fort was captured by Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen in 1775.

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW

Sign Up Now

By Michele Herrmann

Track the history of the American Revolution at sites across the Northeast – Photo courtesy of Museum of the American Revolution

America turns 250 years old in 2026, and there’s no better way to understand the Revolution than standing where it unfolded. From Washington’s icy Delaware crossing to Saratoga’s pivotal surrender, these eight parks, forts, battlefields, and museums offer immersive exhibits, living-history events, and trails that bring the era to life.

• Best for families: Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
• Best battlefield walk: Saratoga National Historical Park
• Best winter survival story: Valley Forge National Historical Park
• Best living history: Fort Ticonderoga
• Best new exhibit: Washington Crossing State Park
• Best under-the-radar battlefield: Hubbardton Battlefield
• Best for rare artifacts: Museum of the American Revolution
• Best frontier fort experience: Fort Frederick State Park

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW

Sign Up Now

By Saratoga TODAY Newspaper

The Saratoga County 250th Commission announced tickets are on sale for the 5th Annual Turning Point Symposium. The event is May 2nd from 8:15AM to 3:30PM at the Old Saratoga American Legion Post, 6 Clancy St. in Schuylerville, NY. Additionally, a guided bus tour following the route of a British Raid on Ballston in October 1780 is offered on May 3rd from 10AM to 2PM.

General registration for the symposium is $75 and includes a light breakfast and deli lunch. The guided bus tour is $75 and includes a box lunch. Those interested can register for these events at Saratoga250.com.  

Lauren Roberts, Saratoga County Historian and Chair of the Saratoga County 250th Commission said, “As the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence approaches, we turn our attention to the ideas and actions of those who took part in the creation of this country. Symposiums like these remind us of how much we still have to learn from the people and events that took place two and a half centuries ago, and why their stories still matter today.”

Formerly known as the Women in War Symposium, the event features notable Revolutionary War era historians and authors presenting new scholarship to enhance our understanding of the War for American Independence.  This year, the topics focus on the upstate New York area and the impact felt by both combatants and residents throughout the war. Additionally, the event will include exhibitor displays, books, and cutting-edge augmented reality demonstrations.

Emceed by historian and author Dr. Bruce Venter, the symposium will feature five speakers with several presenters focusing on the varied roles women played in the American Revolution. Turning Point Symposium attendees will hear unfamiliar stories of loyalists and patriots, learn about the challenges (and opportunities) residents faced and discover how they navigated a very personalized and bloody conflict. An optional walking tour led by Town of Saratoga Historian Sean Kelleher explores the Schuyler Legacy concludes the day.

On Sunday May 3rd the weekend continues with the British Raid on Ballston Bus Tour, led by local historian Jim Richmond whose book War on the Middeline describes the settlement of Middeline Road in Ballston in the years leading up to the Revolution. The four-hour tour will include stops along the Sacandaga Reservoir and lunch at the Middle Grove Town Park. 

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW

Sign Up Now

By Saratoga 250

SCHUYLERVILLE, NY – The Saratoga County 250th Commission today announced tickets are on sale for the 5th Annual Turning Point Symposium. The event is May 2nd from 8:15AM to 3:30PM at the Old Saratoga American Legion Post, 6 Clancy St. in Schuylerville, NY. Additionally, a guided bus tour following the route of a British Raid on Ballston in October 1780 is offered on May 3rd from 10AM to 2PM.

General registration for the symposium is $75 and includes a light breakfast and deli lunch. The guided bus tour is $75 and includes a box lunch. Those interested can register for these events at Saratoga250.com.   

Lauren Roberts, Saratoga County Historian and Chair of the Saratoga County 250th Commission said, “As the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence approaches, we turn our attention to the ideas and actions of those who took part in the creation of this country. Symposiums like these remind us of how much we still have to learn from the people and events that took place two and a half centuries ago, and why their stories still matter today.”

Formerly known as the Women in War Symposium, the event features notable Revolutionary War era historians and authors presenting new scholarship to enhance our understanding of the War for American Independence.  This year, the topics focus on the upstate New York area and the impact felt by both combatants and residents throughout the war. Additionally, the event will include exhibitor displays, books, and cutting-edge augmented reality demonstrations.

Emceed by historian and author Dr. Bruce Venter, the symposium will feature five speakers with several presenters focusing on the varied roles women played in the American Revolution. Turning Point Symposium attendees will hear unfamiliar stories of loyalists and patriots, learn about the challenges (and opportunities) residents faced and discover how they navigated a very personalized and bloody conflict. An optional walking tour led by Town of Saratoga Historian Sean Kelleher explores the Schuyler Legacy concludes the day. 

On Sunday May 3rd the weekend continues with the British Raid on Ballston Bus Tour, led by local historian Jim Richmond whose book War on the Middeline describes the settlement of Middeline Road in Ballston in the years leading up to the Revolution. The four-hour tour will include stops along the Sacandaga Reservoir and lunch at the Middle Grove Town Park.  

To register and get information about each presentation, please click to visit:  Saratoga250.com.

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW

Sign Up Now

By Saratoga TODAY

To celebrate Women’s History Month, join the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation on Thursday, March 26, at 7PM for “Women of the Saratoga Campaign,” a virtual program with Anne Clothier, Assistant to the Saratoga County Historian.

Many know the story of British General John Burgoyne’s Surrender to the Americans after the Battles of Saratoga in 1777, commonly referred to as the Turning Point of the American Revolution. Familiar names such as Benedict Arnold and Philip Schuyler are often associated with this history, but what about the women who were also involved in this crucial campaign? 

Whether it was those actively traveling with the armies, or local residents who had the revolution brought to their doorsteps, this presentation tells lesser-known stories of women on both sides of the conflict and shares their perspectives on the ways their lives were forever changed by these events.

Anne Clothier grew up immersed in history on her family’s 200-year-old farm in northern Saratoga County. Her particular interests include women’s history, textiles, and medical history. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in History from SUNY College at Oneonta.  While attending the Cooperstown Graduate Program in Museum Studies, she gained experience working on projects at the Farmers’ Museum, Fenimore Art Museum, and New York State Historical Association. She worked as Director of Education at the Saratoga County History Center at Brookside Museum for over a decade before becoming Assistant to the Saratoga County Historian in 2024. 

“Women experienced the Saratoga Campaign in significant and often overlooked ways,” said Samantha Bosshart, Executive Director. “During Women’s History Month, we’re pleased Anne is joining us to highlight these stories and the lasting impact the Revolution had on local women who lived through it.”

This virtual program will be hosted via Zoom for a suggested donation of $10. To register, please visit www.saratogapreservation.org or call (518) 587-5030. All registrants will receive a Zoom link in advance, as well as access to the program recording.

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW

Sign Up Now

By Alex Portal | aportal@poststar.com

Photo by Alex Portal, Post-Star. Pictured left to right, film Director, Jordan Forkey, WMHT’s Will Pedigo, Saratoga County Historian & Saratoga 250 Chair, Lauren Roberts, Town of Saratoga Historian & Saratoga 250 Vice Chair, Sean Kelleher, Film Executive Producer & Campaign for Saratoga 250 Executive Director, William Teator.

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Move over Ken Burns, a new documentary produced by Campaign for Saratoga 250, Inc., and 32 Mile Productions, chronicling the Knox expedition as well as the massive, months-long 250^th commemoration, premieres at 9 p.m. on March 10 on PBS.

“We have put so much time into this commemorative effort, but it’s only one moment in time,” said Saratoga County Historian Lauren Roberts during a special early screening of the film on March 5. “Being able to capture it as a film means that it can live on.”

The 28-minute special features one-on-one interviews with local historians, including Roberts; Saratoga town historian Sean Kelleher; Washington County 250^th co-chair Pat Niles; Rensselaer County historian Kathryn Sheehan; site manager for the Schuylerville Mansion Historic Site Heidi Hill; New York State historian Devin Lander; Dr. Bruce Venter, Ph.D.; Revolution 250 MA Executive Director Jonathan Lane; and Siena University professor of history, Dr. Jennifer Dorsey, Ph.D.; as well as footage taken during the various events and reenactments, which took place between Lake George and Hillsdale, NY, throughout December 2025 and January 2026.

One of the biggest challenges for the production team was getting the right mix of historical shots featuring reenactors and behind-the-scenes-style clips for the documentary.

“I was trying to film stuff in a way, like, could this really be the 1770s, even though I’m surrounded by people?” explained 32 Mile Productions owner/Director Jordan Forkey after the screening.

Most of the work done by 32 Mile is in the pharmaceutical industry, but Forkey said everything they do is “docu-style” work, so transitioning to a historic documentary was smooth but daunting.

“Most of our work is three- to five-minute, short-form documentary stories,” he said.

The team is currently sitting on its biggest project, a film about the lead drummer for progressive rock band “Coheed and Cambria,” Josh Epphard, and his struggles with heroin addiction. The production company is currently negotiating with the band for distribution. In the meantime, their new Henry Knox film premiering nationwide via the PBS app is no small consolation.

“We didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into,” owner/senior producer Chuck Fernandez said. “It wasn’t really until we got into the footage that we were like, ‘oh wow, we really have something here.’”

Being a local production company based in Ballston Lake, the team said there was an unanticipated sense of pride that came with telling the Henry Knox story.

“Not only are we proud of the movie and the pieces that we make about the history, you learn about it over time, and you become proud to be a local,” senior editor Ryan Traver said.

For Nicholas Herder-Dwarika, director of photography, knowing that his work will be intrinsically tied to the history of America is an altogether unique feeling.

“At the 300th anniversary, if people want to look at this, our names, 32 Mile, and our actual names are tied to the production of this,” he said. “It’s weird and cool to think that somewhere along the lines, maybe some kid will be looking at my footage to write a paper or something.”

On a press tour, promoting his six-part documentary, “The American Revolution,” filmmaker Ken Burns told a group of students at Stillwater High School that he wanted his film to give the audience a sense of unknowing about the outcome.

“In history, it’s never certain it’s going to turn out the way you know it did,” he said at the time. “George Washington doesn’t know how it’s going to turn out, nor does the lowly private who’s unsure there at [the battle of] Freeman’s Farm whether he’s going to get up the energy and the nerve to attack.”

For Forkey and his team, they wanted to make a film where audiences could invest themselves in the character of Henry Knox, not just the accomplishment of his expedition.  

“I have to kind of learn to obsess over these people and kind of fall in love with them, and if the audience doesn’t do that, I feel like it’s a failure,” Forkey said of his work.

“At the end of this, you want to root for Henry Knox, but also you want to root for the people that come after Henry Knox,” Fernandez added.

For long-time historical reenactor Thomas Pettigrew, who starred in the film and portrayed Knox during much of the commemoration, it was the role of a lifetime.

“In my reenacting experience, this was the first time doing a first-person portrayal,” he said. “If you’re going to go out and say, ‘I am so-and-so,’ you have to be able to stay in first person and answer questions.”

For many living historians, portraying a historic character, whether real or fictional, requires them to retain a deep understanding of the person they’re portraying.

“I’m by no means an expert. I think what qualifies me as Henry Knox is I’m pretty close to his physical description,” Pettigrew quipped.

But in preparing to take on the role of Henry Knox, Pettigrew got to know a little bit about the man and found a common place to connect with the character.

“He was too young and inexperienced to know he couldn’t do it,” Pettigrew said of the 25-year-old bookseller, adding that it’s just as important to remember that Knox was far from alone in his endeavor. “We get caught up on Knox and forget the other people sometimes. Right down to the guys, the teamsters who were working the oxen and dragging the sleds themselves.”

Pettigrew said he’s proud to be a part of a community of living historians, and for the opportunity to be a part of Henry Knox’s ongoing legacy.

“I’m looking forward to royalties,” he joked. “I hope they spell my name right in the history books.”

PBS programming is booming with Revolutionary War content, including the aforementioned Ken Burns documentary series, “The Revolutionary War,” the NOVA series, “Revolutionary War Weapons,” and even offerings from our one-time oppressors, the BBC’s “Lucy Worsley Investigates: The American Revolution.”

But the local affiliate is always on the lookout for content that’s closer to home. The station has turned its “Field Trip” travel series loose on some of the most iconic Revolutionary War locations around the area, and later in the fall, a new hour-long documentary exploring America’s war for independence through the lens of food, featuring Amelia Simmons’ “American Cookery,” which was published in Albany in 1796, will drop.

“This is a perfect companion, it’s wonderful to have a local story that we can share with our audiences,” Will Pedigo, vice president and chief content and engagement officer for local PBS affiliate, WHMT Public Media, said at the screening on March 5. “We don’t have all the stories, but we want to air all the stories.”

Roberts said that the Campaign for Saratoga 250 is already working with the production team to plot out scenes for the upcoming Battles of Saratoga commemoration in 2027.

The special, titled “Henry Knox, Resolve Forged By Revolution,” will premiere at 9 p.m., March 10, on PBS and will be available to stream across the country via the PBS app.

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW

Sign Up Now

By Eden Stratton | estratton@troyrecord.com

Photo by Eden Stratton.

SCHUYLERVILLE, N.Y. — It was a blast from the past at Hudson Crossing Park, as residents celebrated the 250th anniversary of Henry Knox’s historic 1775 “Noble Train” march that delivered vital artillery to George Washington during the Revolutionary War.

The event featured reenactors who educated attendees about the march, including details about what clothing and food the men would have worn and eaten. In addition, the event featured horse rides, sled and cannon displays, as well as food and drinks from local vendors.

“It’s great, it’s a lot of information, especially with the lady that has all the food,” attendee Marcia Burns said. “That was amazing, and the garments. That was very, very well done.”

Saratoga 250 Secretary Vinnie Asaro said the big turnout was exciting to see. He emphasized that Saratoga has lots of history to share and should be celebrated.

“We want to establish a permanent presence that promotes the Revolutionary history of Saratoga,” he said. “This place is rich in Revolutionary War history. I mean, Saratoga’s motto is ‘Health, History and Horses.’ History is part of our DNA.”

Hoping to end the Siege of Boston, Washington entrusted Knox, a 25-year-old bookseller, to move 60 tons of artillery captured from British forces at Fort Ticonderoga to assist the Continental Army. A scholarly young man, Knox would plan a dangerous and difficult 300-mile route through mountains, frozen lakes and winter roads.

“(Knox) learned everything he could about artillery from books, and General Washington gave him the task of getting (artillery) from Ticonderoga because the American army needed it,” Asaro said. “It was quite the feat. It’s called the Continental Artillery, and he was able to do that, literally traveling over Lake George and frozen areas across the Mohawk River.

“It’s quite the story.”

Present at the event was reenactor Jon Jasewicz, who portrayed General Philip Schuyler. Jasewicz said Schuyler was essential in the execution of Knox’s march, providing means and material to navigate the treacherous terrain.

“The logistical nightmare of this to make this happen — you didn’t have modern highways, didn’t have cell phones and stuff like this,” he said. “(Schuyler) made sure that they had teamsters, they had men, they had sleds, and to venture back up to Ticonderoga to help and assist Colonel Knox with whatever he needed to make this happen.”

Knox would arrive in Cambridge after 56 days, personally reporting to Washington that the train had arrived. The artillery he provided would eventually force the British to leave Boston, and marked one of the first victories for Continental Army.

“(He) eventually becomes a general, he’s put in charge of the entire Continental artillery for the rest of the war,” Asaro said. “After the war, he actually becomes Washington’s Secretary of War, so he’s quite the guy.”

Reenactor Dawn White said the event highlighted Knox and his men’s accomplishments, and recognized the importance of freedom.

“I have been left with a profound sense of gratitude, awe and love for the men and women who against all odds fought to secure our freedom here,” she said in a text. “How can we take part in such a celebration and not be left amazed at what they accomplished (?)”

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW

Sign Up Now