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OCT

13

A Tale of Two Knox Commissions

Champlain Canal Region Gateway Visitor Center

October 13, 2026

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Saratoga 250 will host historian Ben Haley for a look at how Massachusetts and New York sought, jointly at first, to commemorate Henry Knox’s 1775–76 winter artillery trek. Haley, Director of the National Register of Historic Places program for Massachusetts, will examine how that early cooperation ultimately gave way to competing priorities and divergent interpretations.

A short film marking the 250th milestone of the bistate Henry Knox Noble Train of Artillery commemoration was produced and aired on regional PBS affiliates, community libraries, and was selected for the Ames IA Film Festival
Henry Knox: Resolve Forged by Revolution
Knox Trail

Event Details

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In this richly illustrated program, Haley traces the creation of the Massachusetts and New York Knox commissions, the bodies responsible for installing the granite monuments that still mark the “Knox Trail” across both states. He will explore the surge of interest in Knox’s expedition during the 1920s, the political and cultural forces that shaped its commemoration, and the ambitions that led each state to assert stewardship over the story.

Haley will also examine how the commissions’ initial spirit of collaboration gave way to the practical challenges of coordinating a bi-state heritage initiative. The result is a closer look at how public memory is constructed, and how it can fracture.

An expanded essay on this topic will appear next year in the Historical Journal of Massachusetts.

This program is part of Saratoga 250’s ongoing series highlighting scholarship, commemoration, and community engagement leading up to the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Saratoga. The Gateway Visitor Center is free and wheelchair accessible.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Celebrating the 250th: Battles of Saratoga @250 Reenactments

Watch history come alive at the 250th Battles of Saratoga Reenactment. Two days of live muskets and maneuvers, October 9–10, 2027 in Saratoga, NY.

Celebrating the 250th: Turning Point Parade 2027

Join the Turning Point Parade marking 250 years since the Surrender at Saratoga. October 17, 2027, 10am in Schuylerville, NY.

Fall Lecture Series: They Were Good Soldiers: African Americans Serving in the Continental Army

The role of African Americans, free and enslaved, in the regiments of the Continental Army is not well-known; neither is the fact that relatively large numbers served in southern regiments and that the greatest number served alongside their white comrades in integrated units. John Rees will discuss black soldiers’ acceptance, service, and experiences during and after the War for American Independence, focusing on those who served in Continental regiments. African American women with the army will also be featured.

Victory Season at Saratoga 250: Children’s Themed Surrender Day Ceremony

On behalf of the Town of Saratoga, the Village of Schuylerville, the Saratoga County 250th American Revolution Commission, and the Campaign for Saratoga 250, we are honored to host students and families of young children to participate in the annual Surrender Day Ceremony, marking the 249th anniversary of the American victory at the Battles of Saratoga.

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      Keep America’s Turning Point Alive  icon-star-red

    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.

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