It was another beastly hot day, with a high of 92F and heat index of 103F, and cabin temp of 100F, until a round of thunderstorms rolled through early this evening and broke the heat. We continued north on the Champlain Canal, covering 28 miles and passing through four locks. All of the locks have lifted us up so far, as we rise from nearly sea level up 140 feet to the summit, then down 44 feet to Lake Champlain. Today we passed the towns of Half Moon, Stillwater, Schuylerville, Northumberland and Fort Miller, all places we may never have seen if not for this voyage.
We also passed Saratoga Battlefield National Historic Park, the site of two pivotal conflicts in the autumn of 1777 that many consider to be the turning point in the Revolutionary War. British General John Burgoyne’s plan to split New England from the rest of the colonies turned into a decisive American victory and a full British surrender, which renewed colonists’ hope for independence, secured crucial foreign recognition and support and forever changed the world.
Tonight we’re staying in Fort Edward, NY, named for the 1755 fortification that was an important outpost during the French and Indian War (1754-63). The fort no longer exists, but the town is very proud of its heritage and has a museum and campus of restored buildings that offer guided tours and describes 18th-century life when the fort was the center of everything. The site was chosen because before there were canals, this location was a popular portage between the Hudson River and Lake George to the west.
After the thunderstorms moved on, we walked to dinner at The Anvil Inn, which began as a blacksmith shop in the 1840s, explored the grounds where Fort Edward once stood and marveled at a well-preserved lock chamber from the original 1823 canal. Map Link: Fort Edward, NY
Photo Journal: Seen on the Champlain Canal today
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