NOV

Keep America’s Turning Point Alive

Keep America’s Turning Point alive for generations to come by making a tax-deductible donation to the Campaign for Saratoga 250, Inc. Our certified 501c3 nonprofit organization is dedicated to promoting awareness, education, and preservation of critical assets of the Battles of Saratoga. Your support will help promote historical awareness of new generations of people across the region, nation, and globe.

SNHP Fall Series: Honoring Veterans & Families

Written by Kelsey S on October 14, 2024. Posted in Events, Past Events.

NOV

SNHP Fall Series: Honoring Veterans & Families

November 9, 2024

Saratoga National Historical Park

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Saratoga National Historical Park, where the bravery and sacrifice of some of America’s first veterans helped change the world, will hold a Veterans Day Commemoration and Family Fun Day on Saturday, November 9 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Event Details

Start Time
10:00am
Location
Saratoga National Historical Park 648 NY-32, Stillwater, NY 12170

Additional Information

Program presented in partnership with the Daughters of the American Revolution, Sons of the American Revolution, Military order of the World Wars, Theodore Roosevelt Chapter (New York), and Friends of Saratoga Battlefield.

Stillwater, N.Y. –Saratoga National Historical Park, where the bravery and sacrifice of some of America’s first veterans helped change the world, will hold a Veterans Day Commemoration and Family Fun Day on Saturday, November 9 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

The day will begin at 10:00 am with a ceremony honoring those who have served from the earliest American veterans in the Revolutionary War to today. This short ceremony will include speakers and a moment to remember those who are no longer with us.

Following the ceremony, representatives of veteran’s services, organizations, and local military units will be on hand to provide information and celebrate. Refreshments and family friendly activities will continue until 2:00 pm. Veterans can also pick up their free lifetime passes to federal public lands by bringing a veteran marked driver’s license or ID.

About Saratoga National Historical Park: This unit of the National Park Service preserves, protects and interprets the sites associated with the battles, siege and surrender of the British forces at Saratoga. The park encompasses five sites including the Saratoga Battlefield, General Philip Schuyler’s House, Victory Woods, the Saratoga Monument and Sword Surrender Site totaling 3,579 acres. For more information about Saratoga National Historical Park, please call the Visitor Center at (518) 670-2985, visit www.nps.gov/sara or find the park on Facebook or Twitter @SaratogaNHP.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Keep America’s Turning Point Alive

SNHP Fall Series: Washington’s War Time Cooks

Written by Kelsey S on October 14, 2024. Posted in Events, Past Events.

NOV

SNHP Fall Series: Washington’s War Time Cooks

November 7, 2024

Saratoga National Historical Park Visitor Center

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Event Details

Reservations required by emailing sara_reservations@nps.gov.
Start Time
6:30pm
Location
Saratoga National Historical Park Visitor Center 648 NY-32, Stillwater, NY
Speaker
Lavada Nahon

Additional Information

Washington’s War Time Cooks

Although there is only one “Washington’s Headquarters” in New York, there are numerous signs around the region stating, “Washington slept here.” Which means he also ate there. Typically, however, not food prepared by the household’s cook, but by his own staff, led by Hannah Till, an enslaved woman, and her husband Isaac. Who were they? What skills may they have had? Join us as we look at current research on Hannah & Isaac and ponder what it may have been like to travel and cook around the region for Washington.

Speaker Lavada Nahon is a culinary historian with 30 years public history experience. She focuses on New Netherland and New York, 17th through 19th centuries, specifically, the lives and cultures of Africans and their descendants, enslaved and free and is the first Interpreter of African American History for New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Bureau of Historic Sites.

Reservations are required by emailing sara_reservations@nps.gov. Please include the date of the program you wish to attend. The Fall Lecture Series is presented with support from the Friends of Saratoga Battlefield.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Keep America’s Turning Point Alive

Victory Season at Saratoga: Siege Living History Weekend with Saratoga NHP

Written by Kelsey S on October 12, 2024. Posted in Events, Past Events.

OCT

Victory Season at Saratoga: Siege Living History Weekend with Saratoga NHP

October 12–13, 2024

Saratoga National Historical Park & local Community historic sites

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A two-day, multi-site event on NYS Path Through History weekend, living historians deliver family fun activities for the whole family. Experience 18th century civilian and encampment life at the historic 1777 Schuyler House. Witness military reenactment at the SNHP Battlefield. Stay tuned & plan to make it a fun fall weekend in Saratoga!

Continental Firing Line
Darley-Schuyler-House-Ranger-Garrett-Cloer
Jymm Hoffman – 18th cent blacksmith fire action
Sara Evenson – 18th cent family & food – Schuyler House
British – 24th of Foot encampment – from afar at Freemans Farm – Oct 2023
British – 24th of Foot – Young soldier portrait w mustket pyramid – Oct 2023
American – Muskets firing at battlefield – Oct 2023
American Artillery at Saratoga Battlefield
MMF_5611
MMF_5618

Event Details

Start Time
10:00am, 10 am – 5pm Saturday & Sunday
Location
Saratoga National Historical Park & local Community historic sites, Schuylerville & Stillwater

Additional Information

Check out the program details with more still to come! Including a family fun “passport” of activities to try them all out for a prize and a guide to experiences located throughout Schuylerville & Stillwater communities and the Saratoga National Historical Park.

18th Century Historical Demonstrations

Anne Clothier Anne Clothier: “Women in Healing Roles”
Caregiving is a role that has frequently been performed by women throughout history. Explore the many ways in which women cared for family, friends, neighbors, and soldiers throughout the late eighteenth century. Whether assisting neighbors through childbirth or serving as regimentally assigned nurses on army campaigns, women have fulfilled their community’s needs. Explore the tools and techniques of healers and learn about the evolution of these roles over the past 250 years with historical interpreter Anne Clothier.
Jymm Hoffman: “18th Century Traveling Forge”
Armies on the move were always in need of repairs to their equipment be it tools, wagons, or artillery pieces. Traveling Forges would accompany them along with at least one blacksmith that would be enlisted for the campaign season, as well as other skilled tradesmen. Both British and Americans used this piece of military equipment, and two of them were surrendered by Burgoyne’s army after their defeat at Saratoga.
[photo credit: Tom Stock Photography]
Foodways of the 1770s
What did the hungry soldier eat while marching southward on the Burgoyne campaign? What did a typical meal look like for a family of farmers in Stillwater? What kind of sweet treats were enjoyed by young and old? What tools were used to prepare meals? Discover the foods that were found on local tables and in soldiers’ haversacks in the 1770s and the dishes and utensils used to serve them. Explore the work that went into making everything from the utilitarian porridges to delectable roasts with culinary historian Sara Evenson.
Clergy and Chaplains
Religion was a very important part of life for local residents and the soldiers fighting on both sides during the American Revolution. Discover the ways in which ministers provided support during a time of war and how Anglican clergy found themselves enduring hardship because of their beliefs. Hear the story of British Army Chaplain Reverend Edward Brudenell, who officiated over General Simon Fraser’s funeral while under fire and accompanied Lady Harriet Acland behind enemy lines. Learn about the persecution and escape of Reverend John Doty, second Rector of St. George’s Church in Schenectady in 1777. Presented by historical interpreter Reverend Thomas Pettigrew, 20th Rector of St. George’s Church in Schenectady’s Historic Stockade District.
Cordwainers & Cobblers: Shoemaking in the 1770s
Well-fit shoes are conveniently forgotten as we go about our daily lives, while an ill-fitting shoe can ruin our day- and leave behind blisters and other painful injuries. Learn about the styles of shoes that were popular in the later 18th century, how they were made, and how they were repaired. What types of leather worked for the different parts of the shoe? How did someone learn to make shoes? What is the difference between a cobbler and a cordwainer? Find out the answers to these questions with historical interpreter Jack Marshall as he demonstrates shoemaking and repair.
Buckwheat, Beans, Hops & Flax: Agriculture of the Saratoga District in the 1770s
The Schuyler Family owned vast tracts of land throughout upstate New York during the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of this land was farmed through the efforts of tenant farmers and enslaved workers. In the area around what is now Schuylerville, a variety of crops were grown, providing both sustenance and profit to the Schuyler family. Explore the methods used by farmers to grow grains, fruits, vegetables, textile fibers, and raise livestock with historical interpreter Nathan Hoffman.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Keep America’s Turning Point Alive

Revolutionary Run for Veterans

Written by Kelsey S on October 10, 2024. Posted in Events, Past Events.

NOV

Revolutionary Run for Veterans

November 2, 2024

Fort Hardy Park

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America’s Turning Point will have a presence at the Saratoga County Revolutionary Run for Veterans, a 5k run which benefits Saratoga County Veterans. The event takes place at Fort Hardy Park in Schuylerville.

Event Details

Location

Fort Hardy Park, Schuylerville

UPCOMING EVENTS

Keep America’s Turning Point Alive

SNHP Fall Series Picturing History: A Primer for Understanding Fine Art during the Era of the American Revolution

Written by Kelsey S on October 2, 2024. Posted in Events, Past Events.

OCT

SNHP Fall Series Picturing History: A Primer for Understanding Fine Art during the Era of the American Revolution

October 31, 2024

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This program explores the different forms of two-dimensional 18th century artwork media, spurs awareness of pitfalls, and investigates shocking deceptions related to Revolutionary War drawings and paintings. Presenter Eric Schnitzer is a park ranger at Saratoga National Historical Park.

Event Details

Reservations
Reservations required by emailing sara_reservations@nps.gov
Start Time
6:30pm
Speakers
Eric Schnitzer, Park Ranger & Military Historian

Additional Information

Historians have traditionally shown surprisingly little interest in the artworks related to their periods of study. This is not to say that artworks are ignored – history books are often replete with period pictures meant to showcase the themes discussed in print. Unfortunately, these artworks are often poorly chosen or are little more than an afterthought.

This program explores the different forms of 2-dimentional 18th century artwork media, spurs awareness of pitfalls, and investigates shocking deceptions related to Revolutionary War drawings and paintings. Presenter Eric Schnitzer is a park ranger at Saratoga National Historical Park.

Reservations are required by emailing sara_reservations@nps.gov. Please include the date of the program you wish to attend.

The Fall Lecture Series is presented with support from the Friends of Saratoga Battlefield.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Keep America’s Turning Point Alive

1780 Invasion Kiosk Opening

Written by Kelsey S on October 2, 2024. Posted in Events, Past Events.

OCT

1780 Invasion Kiosk Opening

October 26, 2024

Trieble Park

America’s Revolution in Upstate NY went well past the Saratoga Campaign in 1777. Join Reps from the Towns of Milton and Ballston, and Saratoga County, and members of the Saratoga Chapters of the DAR and SAR with Revolutionary War Reenactors at the open of this heritage site.

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Event Details

Start Time
11:00am
Location
Trieble Park Corner Rt 67 & Middleline Rd, NY
Living Historians
American and British Reenactors

Additional Information

Join Mike Companion and local living historians and local representatives at the new kiosk commemorating the 1780 invasion. Learn more about the Revolutionary era beyond the Saratoga Campaign of 1777 in the then Saratoga area of the Albany District.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Keep America’s Turning Point Alive

SNHP Fall Series Inheriting the Revolution: Antebellum African American Pathways in Saratoga County

Written by Kelsey S on October 2, 2024. Posted in Events, Past Events.

OCT

SNHP Fall Series Inheriting the Revolution: Antebellum African American Pathways in Saratoga County

October 24, 2024

Saratoga National Historical Park Visitor Center

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How did the American Revolution affect African Americans in Old Saratoga, Saratoga Springs, and their environs? Discover the major avenues they pursued in the early national period and in the years prior to the Civil War as they sought to build lives in the new nation.

Event Details

Reservations
Reservations required by email to sara_reservations@nps.gov
Start Time
6:30pm
Location
Saratoga National Historical Park Visitor Center 648 NY-32, Stillwater, NY
Speaker
Dr. Myra Armstead, “Lyford Paterson Edwards and Helen Gray Edwards Professor of Historical Studies Emerita at Bard College.”

Additional Information

How did the American Revolution affect African Americans in Old Saratoga, Saratoga Springs, and their environs? Discover the major avenues they pursued in the early national period and in the years prior to the Civil War as they sought to build lives in the new nation. Presented by Dr. Myra Armstead, the Lyford Paterson Edwards and Helen Gray Edwards Professor of Historical Studies Emerita at Bard College.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Keep America’s Turning Point Alive

Victory Season at Saratoga: Guided “Surrender Tour” with Pat Niles

Written by Kelsey S on October 2, 2024. Posted in Events, Past Events.

OCT

TICKETS AVAILABLE ONSITE
Victory Season at Saratoga: Guided “Surrender Tour” with Pat Niles

October 17, 2024

Gateway Visitor Center

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Embark on a journey from the stunning new Champlain Canal Region Gateway Visitors Center in Schuylerville where a national “American Revolutionary Experience” by the DAR & American Battlefield Trust is on a limited temporary display. Enjoy a carefully curated bus tour, narrated by local guide & historian, Pat Niles.

Event Details

Location
Gateway Visitor Center 30 Ferry Street, Schuylerville, NY
Speakers
Pat Niles, “President of Washington County Historical Society, Co-Chair Washington County 250th Committee, Trustee Lake George Battlefield Alliance, President of Adirondack Hudson Military Expeditions, LLC. Saratoga Battlefield Official Guide. “

Additional Information

Embark on a journey from the stunning new Champlain Canal Region Gateway Visitors Center in Schuylerville, returning there at 3:30pm EST.

Arrive early to see the national “American Revolutionary Experience” by the DAR & American Battlefield Trust. It is here on a limited temporary display through October 27, 2024.

Enjoy a carefully curated bus tour, narrated by certified guide & historian, Pat Niles. Explore some of the historic sites in the pivotal victory at Saratoga in 1777 including Saratoga National Historical Park stops and other community historic sites central to the Siege at Saratoga that were instrumental in forcing British General Burgoyne’s surrender leading to America’s Turning Point in her War for Independence.

Act fast. Limited spots available! Champlain Canal Region Gateway Visitors Center

“SURRENDER TOUR” DETAILS:

The tour will starts & ends at the Gateway Visitor Center, Schuylerville, NY.
Stop 9 @ Saratoga NHP, the Great Redoubt to discuss the beginning of the end for the Burgoyne Campaign.
The story of Lady Acland, Route 4 stop.
Schuyler House to discuss Burgoyne on October 9^th and 10^th.
The tour will travel down Broadway to discuss positioning of British Forces.
A view of the Marshall House from Route 32 to discuss Lady Riedesel and the siege.
Up Stark Knob and the “corking of the bottle,” American siege of the British.
Travel the siege lines around the British Army.
Fifth stop, Saratoga Monument, the British position on the hill, and Victory Woods.
Sixth stop, the Surrender Site and the story of negotiations and final surrender.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Keep America’s Turning Point Alive

Victory Season “Surrender Day” Benefit, presented with SPAC & Friends of Saratoga Springs Library

Written by Kelsey S on October 2, 2024. Posted in Events, Past Events.

OCT

Victory Season “Surrender Day” Benefit, presented with SPAC & Friends of Saratoga Springs Library

October 17, 2024

SPAC Spa Little Theater at Saratoga State Park

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Victory at Saratoga in 1777 halted the British Empire’s advance, saving America’s fight for freedom altering world history. It was the first ever surrender of a British Army marking America’s Turning Point. Join us at this benefit celebrating victory on the anniversary day the General Burgoyne’s surrender to American General Gates.

Event Registration

Event Details

Start Time
6:00pm, Living historians, music, Saratoga 250 overview & presentation by award-winning author, Dr. Kevin Weddle, US Army Colonel (Ret.)
Location
SPAC Spa Little Theater at Saratoga State Park 19 Roosevelt Drive, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Additional Information

Join our 1st Annual Victory Series at Saratoga “Surrender Day” Benefit. Celebrate & Help Preserve the Victory at Saratoga’s Revolutionary Legacy!

Presentations to engage both newcomers, history buffs, and readers of the Award-winning book, “The Compleat Victory, Saratoga and the American Revolution,”
Featuring:
- remarks by distinguished author, US Army War College historian, and service combat engineer veteran, Dr. Kevin J Weddle, US Army Colonel (Ret). He is a USMA West Point graduate who served honorably in Desert Shield, Desert Storm & Operation Enduring Freedom. Dr. Weddle’s book is recipient of the prestigious Gilder Lehrman Military History Prize, the Fraunces Tavern Museum Book Award, and The Society of the Cincinnati Prize
- copies of the book, The Compleat Victory available for purchase with tickets
- presentation by Lauren Roberts, Saratoga County Historian, Chair of the Saratoga 250 Commission, and appointee to the NYS 250th Commission. Lauren is also a co-host of the award winning podcast, “A New York Minute in History.”
- Revolutionary era Reenactors and America’s Turning Point augmented reality exhibits to see ways we will bring Saratoga’s history to life.
- Enjoy Americana musical performances by local students.
Program runs 6:30 – 7:45pm. Questions and answer with Dr. Weddle to follow.
All proceeds benefit Campaign for Saratoga 250 & Friends of the Saratoga Springs Public Library

WHY WE CELEBRATE VICTORY AT SARATOGA:

Saratoga. Marked the first-ever surrender in history of an army of the mighty British Empire.

Saratoga. General Washington gave thanks to Providence upon hearing of the victory at the second battle here. A needed, decisive victory to turn the tide, just as the capital of Philadelphia was falling to British hands and New York City was under continued occupation.

Saratoga. Congress proclaimed the first ever national Thanksgiving, celebrated in December 1777, in part due to its turning point victory here.

Saratoga. Benjamin Franklin leveraged it to cinch his years long diplomacy reaching a treaty of military alliance with France to recognize our young nation & enter the war. Later he minted a coin with Saratoga’s 1777 victory on one side, Yorktown’s 1781 victory nearly four years to the day on the other.

Saratoga. The 1821 renowned surrender scene painted by John Trumbull is one of only four portraits hung in prominence in the United States Capitol rotunda. Evidence of its centuries long significance as the turning point in America’s revolutionary fight for freedom.

Saratoga has been a beacon throughout history of hope, triumph, and a forceful turning point for freedom altering the course of world events. Generations have written of it, been inspired to create art, build monuments, preserve the hallowed ground of its patriots, commission warships, and more. Now, we will bring its inspired history forward to new generations of Americans and freedom seekers.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Keep America’s Turning Point Alive