By Saratogian staff

UPDATED: September 26, 2024 at 6:22 a.m.

WASHINGTON — Saratoga County was recently awarded $200,000 for a Battlefield Interpretation Grants (BIG) project, Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) announced in a press release.

He advocated to the National Park Service for Saratoga County to receive this funding for the implementation of technology to establish new, immersive exhibits that will interpret the figures and events that took place during the American Revolution, the release said.

“As we rapidly approach the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Saratoga, our region will receive national and international attention and increased awareness of its role and importance in the war for our nation’s independence,” Tonko said in the release. “The grant to Saratoga County will help to better tell that rich local history from diverse new perspectives, which is why I pushed to deliver this federal funding.

“I’m thrilled that this support has been secured,” he continued, “and I won’t stop working to strengthen our national parks so they can continue to foster a sense of place and connection to our communities and to the story of our nation.”

“The National Park Service Battlefield Interpretation Grant will assist with promotion, education, and appreciation of the important role our area played in the American Revolution,” Phil Barrett, Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman said in the release. “We will also improve infrastructure dedicated to our historic sites and increase heritage tourism as we approach the 250th Anniversary of the Battles of Saratoga.

“We are grateful to Congressman Tonko for his support of Saratoga County’s America’s Turning Point initiative.”

“These grant funds from the National Park Service will help the County tell the stories of the Battles of Saratoga to a new generation and reignite enthusiasm for our area’s revolutionary history through interactive experiences that merge modern technology with compelling true accounts of the past,” Lauren Roberts, Saratoga County Historian and Chair of the Saratoga County 250th American Revolution Commission said in the release. “We thank the National Park Service for this grant and Congressman Tonko for his support of Saratoga County’s America’s Turning Point initiative, which aims to transform heritage tourism in our region.”

Visit nps.gov/articles/000/turning-point-american-revolution-revisiting-legacy-saratoga-campaign.html to learn more about the Saratoga County projec

Tonko has long been an advocate and champion for the preservation of the rich heritage of the Capital Region and the nation, the release said. Last Congress, he authored the National Heritage Area Act that reauthorizes all Heritage Areas for the next 15 years and establishes clear, transparent standards that make it easier for communities and local partnerships to develop and maintain the Heritage Areas they cherish. That bill was signed into law in 2023.

Saratoga is one of a handful of BIG projects awarded across the country to promote a broad and inclusive stewardship of battlefields and sites of armed conflict on American soil, the release said. Funding for these grants is provided through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which reinvests revenue from offshore oil and natural gas leasing to help strengthen conservation and recreation opportunities across the nation without spending taxpayer dollars.