"FIW tour" Topic

Gents,

If you had about 9-10 days to tour the FIW sites what would you include. I have a rough list of sites – can anyone suggest places worth visiting given I'll be coming fro half a world away and wouldn't want to miss something of value.

FORT WILLIAM HENRY. FORT EDWARD

FORT CARILLION (TICONDEROGA)

CROWN POINT

FORT MONTGOMERY

QUEBEC

LOUISBOURG – (too far – any day trips?)

FORT NIAGARA

FORT PITT

FORT NECESSITY

Regards

Happy Wanderer

If you make it to lovely Pittsburgh PA you have several sites, all of which you could visit in a day. In downtown Pittsburgh there is: Fort Pitt Museum and blockhouse and the site of Fort Duquesne at Point State Park and the Heinz History Center in the Strip District of downtown has a permanent F&I display.

East of the city are Fort Ligonier in Ligonier PA and Bushy Run battlefield in Jeanette PA.

South east of the city is Jumonville Glen, Braddock's Grave and Fort Necessity, all near Farmington PA.

You could very easily hit all of these sites in a single day, certainly if combined with an overnight stay, in two days. Much of the drive between Farmington and Ligonier is very scenic as well so there's an added bonus.

Ft Pitt/ Bushy Run site:
fortpittmuseum.com

Ft Ligonier site:
fortligonier.org

Heinz History Center:
pghhistory.org

Fort Necessity:
nps.gov/fone

I made this trip a few years ago with the family by car from Texas. We hit the folowing spots over the cours of about 3 weeks, in this order…

Fort Necessity/Braddocks Grave/Bushy Run
Fort Niagara
Fort Ticonderoga
Crown Point
Quebec
Fort Cumberland
Louisborg

It was a great 6 week road trip in the summer (late June and July). We did a lot of camping along the way and visited many other interesting spots besides the FIW trail.
Anapolis.

The FIW sites were all worth a visit. The US sites were beautifully maintained with excellent visitors centres, bookshops, guides and very often with re-enactors giving demonstrations or fife & drum bands playing military tunes.

Louisborg was really special. Not only is the area very scenic, they have done a fantastic job restoring the town and bringing it to life with a townfull of re-enactors.

Don't miss "The Museum at St. Helen's Island" at Montreal.

The only site on your list I've visited is Fort Niagara. It's really worth a day. While you're in the neigborhood, don't miss Niagara Falls, and take a tour down the Niagara River to at least see Devil's Hole. That's two days.

I don't know where you're from, but don't underestimate distances in North America. Better to spend time at two or three sites, than to over-book yourself and spend most of your time driving from point A to point B.

Of the sites on your list, the one I would most like to see would be Quebec, not only for the old fortifications, but to see the modern city. I'd want to spend three days there at least.

Shame to say the only one I've been to is Louisborg back in the early seventies and to this day it has been one of the best experiences of visiting a historic site.
The people in the period costumes were friendly and very knowledgable and we did ask a lot of questions.
I read somewhere that they will be reenacting the battle with many locals involved. It would be a great time to visit.

You have a good list of major sites. Much less spectacular than Ft Ti, you might consider adding Roger's Rock to the list while in Lake George:

link

link

and Roger's island:
link

I live a bit south of Lake George in Ballston Spa. Lake George still has wonderful views and to the north and west the Adirondack mountains still has the potential to consume unprepared hikers in it vast wilderness but the lake front area is massively gaudy with tourist hotels and bars and such.

I was just thinking of going up to Lake George in late September to see Ft. William Henry and Ticonderago. Have not been in over 20 years I think. How is the area in September?
I forgot about Rogers Island, will have to make a trip there also.

I would love to one day go up to Louisburg and also a trip to out to western Pennslyvania.

Bunkermonkey is right, but allow yourself more than one day to hit all those places. You could spend almost a full day just at Ligonier. Fort Necessity also includes the Jumonville Glen, just down the road as well as Braddock's grave site.

Fort Pitt is almost triple dipping as it includes Trent's Fort, Fort Duquense, Fort Mercer, and Fort Pitt – and the new museum is really awesome there, though the park is closed till June, so sneak in the back way through the parking lot, as you can't get in from the front – though the museum is indeed open. The Bushy Run museum is also worth the trip too, and on the way to Ligonier, though somewhat out of period (1763 and Pontiac's).

Niagars is also a very good site too, and worth the effort (5 hours from Pittsburgh), though the fort is a mix of periods, as it served a long time as a post (is good for 1812 stuff too!).

Fort Ti is also awesome, but a long haul indeed. Worth it if you have the time. Corwn Point is creepy, quiet, ruins. Gave me the willies, but is kind of cool. Not much there when I visited back in '92, but could be more there now.

Fort William Henry is a travesty, but lets you see the location. The fort is a fine example of what not to do when rebuilding an historic site. Don't linger long there.

Louisbourg, you'd better have a plane to get to. Neat site though.

Quebec is way cool, very old world in look and feel.

I'm not familiar with Fort Montgomery. What is that?

Might I suggest you start at Fort Necessity, as it includes the entire '54 and some '55 stuff, then work your way to Pittsburgh, then finally Ligonier – which is very awesome indeed.

I live near Ft. Montgomery,which is closet to West Point,but that is a AWI site recently restored with a nice visitors center and museum.Ft.Wmn Henry is just a mess! Not even worth going too! Just a bad 1960's tourist trap!

Bob

Gents,

Thanks ever so much for your suggestions – they are a huge help.

All shall be taken on board.

Kind Regards

Happy Wanderer

It is a long and slow drive heading north along Lake George and on to Fort Ti. Lots of tourist traffic, so add time into your schedule if you take this trip.

Thanks for the tip :-)

I'm allowing 1 1/2 days to do Fort William Henry, Ticonderoga, Fort Ann and Crown point.

Hope that is enough time.

Cheers

HappyW

Not sure what is there at Crown Point, as last time I was there ('92) there were just the ruins, a pile of rocks of the old French fort and some signs. It is creepy quiet, with the only sound coming from a nearby bridge.

Fort William Henry is indeed a travesty, but perhaps if you are there already…

I understand that they have rebuilt some of the French lines for the upcoming 250th celebration (event), so that will be neat to see at Fort Ti.

Good travel to you.