Fort Crown Point

Infobox nrhp
name = Fort Crown Point
nrhp_type = nhl

---

caption = Ruins of the fort
location = Crown Point, New York, NY
nearest_city = Burlington, VT
lat_degrees = 44 | lat_minutes = 01 | lat_seconds = 45 | lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 73 | long_minutes = 25 | long_seconds = 52 | long_direction = W
area = 11,800 acres (47.2 km²)
built = 1759
architect =
architecture =
designated = November 24, 1968 cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=790&ResourceType=District
title=Fort Crown Point|date=2007-09-12|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service]
added = November 24, 1968 cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
refnum = 68000033
mpsub =
governing_body = New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

His Majesty's Fort of Crown Point or more simply Fort Crown Point was a British fort built in 1759 on Lake Champlain (on the border between modern New York State and Vermont in the United States) to secure the region against the French. The fort is located near the town of Crown Point, New York. Fort Crown Point was the largest earthen fort built in the United States.

History

The French first built a fort here with convert|12|ft|m|1 thick walls here in the 1730s to "impress" the Indians. They named it Fort St. Frederic. British assaulted this twice during the French and Indian War before the French finally blew it up in the summer of 1759.cite book | author = Carola, Chris, Associated Press |title = Crown Point excavation begins | publisher = Burlington Free Press | year = July 18, 2008]

Fort Crown Point was constructed by the British army under the command of Sir Jeffery Amherst following the capture of Fort Carillon to the south (which he renamed Fort Ticonderoga) and the destruction of Fort St. Frédéric. Amherst used the construction of the fort as a means of keeping his men working through the winter 1759 after pushing the French into modern Canada.

Fort Crown Point was never directly assaulted. Never having the comforts of the smaller Fort Ticonderoga to the south, Fort Crown Point was generally used most for staging, then as a position in its own right.

After the French and Indian War the British left only a skeletal force at the fort, who yielded easily to the Americans in 1775 at the start of the American Revolution. The fort was used as a staging ground by Benedict Arnold during the American Revolution for his navy on Lake Champlain. After the destruction of that navy in 1776 during the Battle of Valcour Island, the fort was abandoned to the British in 1777. With no reason for attacks in that region the fort was abandoned after the end of the revolution in 1780.

The large earthen walls of Fort Crown Point are still visible today. While several fires during the fort's history have destroyed several of the buildings, the stone framings remain and have been partially restored.

It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1968.cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=790&ResourceType=District
title=Fort Crown Point|date=2007-09-12|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service] ,cite web|url=PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/68000033.pdf "Fort Crown Point (Amherst)", by Charles W. Snell] |228 KB|title=National Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings|date=1967-10-25|publisher=National Park Service] ,cite web|url=PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Photos/68000033.pdf Fort Crown Point--Accompanying photos, from 1967.] |2200 KB|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory|date=1967-10-25|publisher=National Park Service]

Notable Visitors during the 18th century

*Benjamin Franklin, traveling to Canada, seeking an alliance against the Britishcite book | author = Carola, Chris, Associated Press |title = Crown Point excavation begins | publisher = Burlington Free Press | year = July 18, 2008]
*George Washington, July 21, 1783, the furthest north he ever traveledcite book | author = Carola, Chris, Associated Press |title = Crown Point excavation begins | publisher = Burlington Free Press | year = July 18, 2008]
*Future President James Madison in 1791cite book | author = Carola, Chris, Associated Press |title = Crown Point excavation begins | publisher = Burlington Free Press | year = July 18, 2008]
*Benedict Arnold commanded here before turning traitorcite book | author = Carola, Chris, Associated Press |title = Crown Point excavation begins | publisher = Burlington Free Press | year = July 18, 2008]

Gallery

See also

* Fort St. Frédéric
* Crown Point State Historic Site

References

External links

* [http://nysparks.state.ny.us/sites/info.asp?siteID=8 Crown Point State Historic Site] at NYS OPRHP