Old Plattsburgh

11/08/2025

Tomorrow evening, our friends over at the Greater Adirondack Ghost and Tour Company (Plattsburgh, NY) will be hosting a rare guided tour of old Keeseville, located just south of Plattsburgh. Included in this tour? A visit inside this 1870 bank building, scene of the most daring heist in the history of the Adirondacks!

What hidden mysteries lurk within this 155-year-old Keeseville landmark?? Right this way folks....

08/08/2025

Coming up tonight! Our friends over at the Greater Adirondack Ghost and Tour Company will be hosting a pair of guided GHOST TOURS through "old Plattsburgh" at 7:00 and 9:00 pm!

GHOST TOURS TONIGHT!!! It's a beautiful day here in Plattsburgh! Join us as the sun fades for a lantern-lit journey into the Lake City's "darker side!" At 7pm, explore the darkened mansions and forgotten alleyways of downtown as we follow in the footsteps of a real-life Victor Frankenstein on "Dr. Beaumont's Tour of Terror!" At the 9:00 hour, meet the "Specters and Soldiers" of the Old Roman Catholic Burial Ground and experience the area's most mysterious 19th century graveyard! **No advance tickets or reservations required to attend! Walk-ups are ALWAYS welcome!!

09/11/2024

“Our Vicar who fought at Trafalgar.” And at Plattsburgh too! 210 years ago this morning, Lt. William Hicks was not having a good day.

A Battle of Plattsburgh mystery SOLVED (with a little help from the British!). - One often repeated bit of lore surrounding the naval battle in Plattsburgh Bay, fought 210 years ago this morning, is an interesting quote. Usually attributed to an un-named "British sailor" or "officer," comparing the engagement on Lake Champlain to the famed Battle of Trafalgar. Reputedly calling Trafalgar a "mere fleabite" in comparison. Research revealed the source of this quote is actually a Midshipman Lee who served aboard the British flagship H.M.S. "Confiance." In a letter to his brother, Lee wrote: "The havoc on both sides was dreadful. I don't think there are more than five of our men, out of three hundred, but what are killed or wounded. Never was a shower of hail so thick as the shot whistling about our ears. Were you to see my jacket, waistcoat, and trousers, you would be astonished how I escaped as I did, for they are literally torn all to rags with shot and splinters. The upper part of my hat was also shot away. There is one of our Marines who was in the Trafalgar action with Lord Nelson, who says it was a mere flea bite in comparison with this." The Marine was never identified, but it certainly made us wonder if any others present at Plattsburgh were in fact veterans of Nelson's fleet. As it turns out, there was. Diligent research by our staff and correspondence with sources in England brought to light the man in this photograph: Lieutenant William Hicks. Born in 1788, Hicks joined the Royal Navy as a Midshipman. At the age of 16, he saw action and was wounded at the Battle of Trafalgar aboard the H.M.S. “Conqueror,” a 74-gun ship of the line. Letters preserved by Hicks' family revealed the carnage he witnessed which haunted him until his dying day: "I saw a grape shot which struck a canister case. I took it up and put it in my pocket. Turning round I saw the first lieutenant and sixth lieutenant lying close by me. I ran to them, saying, I hope you're not seriously hurt, and lifting Mr. Lloyd's head the blood gushed into my shoes. Both were dead." Nine years later, now Lieutenant Hicks commanded the H.M.S. “Finch,” an 11-gun sloop which was part of the British fleet at the Battle of Plattsburgh. Luck was not with the young officer on September 11th, 1814. While engaging the American fleet, his vessel took four shots below the waterline and grounded on a shoal near Crab Island. A brisk exchange of fire ensued between the Finch and an American battery on the Island. Hicks succeeded in silencing the American cannons but was ultimately forced to surrender with the rest of the British squadron, remaining stuck fast throughout the fight. After the War, Hicks left the Royal Navy and was eventually ordained as a Reverend. For 44 years he quietly served as Rector of St. Mary’s Church in Essex, England. This fantastic photograph shows the Reverend and Mrs. Hicks in the late 1850s when he was about 70 years old. A memorial plaque at the church, erected by the parishioners after his death commemorates "William Hicks, our Vicar who fought at Trafalgar." 210 years ago this morning, he also fought at Plattsburgh.

09/07/2024

Check out our annual series of posts commemorating the anniversary of the BATTLE OF PLATTSBURGH - Today's news from the battlefield - "A Village Ablaze!" - This rare photograph shows the original "First Presbyterian Church" on Brinkerhoff Street! Construction began on this immense wooden structure in 1812, and at the time, it was considered to be the largest building of its kind in northern New York! Work progressed slowly and its towering walls stood unfinished when the British Army entered the town on September 6th, 1814. With enemy forces settling in for a siege, 210 years ago TODAY British Cavalry units occupied the incomplete church and pressed it into service as a barracks and stable for their horses. Meanwhile, the Royal Artillery constructed seven batteries along the western side of the Saranac River and engaged in a brisk bombardment of the American positions on the other side. The U.S. Army, returned fire from their forts with conventional rounds and "hot shot" (cannon balls heated in a furnace), setting fire to some 15 buildings which blazed brightly throughout the night. The church itself was fired upon by American artillery on and off for five days before they succeeded in driving the British out on Sept. 11th, 1814. The battle's damage was ultimately repaired, and the new church was finally dedicated on Christmas Day, 1816. Its most illustrious visitor was President James Monroe, who would attend Sunday service here during his tour of the northern states the following year. The original church, with its lofty bell tower stood as a local landmark for over half a century until it tragically burned to the ground in August of 1867.

*Special thanks to our friends at The Greater Adirondack Ghost & Tour Company of Plattsburgh.

09/06/2024

Courtesy of our friends at Greater Adirondack Ghost and Tour Company (Plattsburgh, NY) - Our annual series commemorating the BATTLE OF PLATTSBURGH! - "British forces enter the town!" - 210 years ago today. September 6th, 1814 - U.S. Infantry under the command of Major John Ellis Wool, along with elements of the New York State Militia, contest the advance of the British right wing as they fall back along the roadway (Route 22) from Culver Hill in Beekmantown. Another brave stand is made on the outskirts of Plattsburgh at "Halsey's Corners" (present day intersection of Boynton Avenue and Halsey Court), seen here in 1914 and today. At the intersection, a detachment of two 6-pound field guns under Captain Luther Leonard arrive to reinforce the outnumbered Americans. Preparations were quickly made by the Light Artillery to position these cannons behind a nearby stone wall. The British column came steadily on, and by 8:00 am, could be seen once again filling the roadway. The U.S. Regulars and Militia fired on the head of the column with their muskets, but concealed the artillery behind them until the enemy neared point-blank range. At the last moment, their ranks parted and the artillery opened fire into the advancing British line, taking instantaneous and lethal effect. Two rounds of solid shot carved a bloody furrow through the enemy's ranks, passing through the column at chest height. As a testament to the training of the enemy soldiers, these first two rounds were absorbed by the oncoming juggernaut and the holes in the British line simply closed again as if by magic. The third however, a shower of grapeshot, seemed to cause momentary confusion. At that instant, the bugle call to charge sounded and the British soldiers surged forward, throwing off their packs to either side of the road as they did, and forcing the Americans to once again withdraw. The remaining U.S. troops did not retreat however, and a hard-fought delaying action commenced, through the streets of Plattsburgh towards the safety of the American forts across the Saranac. Wool's men would bravely engage the enemy again near the home of Judge William Bailey (near the intersection of present-day Beekman and Cornelia Streets), and a second time in the vicinity of "Gallows Hill" (Court Street). In a remarkable feat of choreography, Wool finally met up on Bridge Street with Lt. Col. Appling's Riflemen, and U.S. Infantry under John Sproul, who had been simultaneously falling back along the Lake Shore Road. All withdrew by detachments to the south side of the Saranac River, pulling up the wooden planks on the Bridge Street Bridge as they went. To cover their retreat, General Macomb ordered his artillery to fire on the British with "hot shot" (cannonballs heated until glowing hot), driving them out of any structures on the northern riverbank. In short order, many of the nearby buildings (including the town's courthouse) were blazing brightly. The siege of Plattsburgh, had officially begun.

09/06/2024

Courtesy of our friends at the Greater Adirondack Ghost and Tour Company (Plattsburgh, NY) - Today we remember Corporal Stephen Patridge, a young man from Wilmington, New York who was one of the first American casualties of the Battle of Plattsburgh. Serving with the New York State Militia, Stephen was among the scores of local citizens who turned out to defend their homes and their Nation as the British Army advanced south. For that cause, he gave his life 210 years ago this morning in the fighting at Culver Hill, with eyewitness accounts stated he fell after being "riddled through and through." Patridge's tombstone in Wilmington, which had long since toppled over, was re-set by volunteers in time for the Battle's bicentennial in 2014. The inscription reads "Stephen Partridge, Corpl., Allen Peck's Company of Major Reuben Sanford's Battalion, He was killed at the Battle of Plattsburgh, Sept. 6, 1814." It had been a bloody day for friend and for alike; with 45 Americans killed in the fighting and subsequent withdrawal, and the British casualties standing at over 200 men.



Photo by: Joseph Kostoss, Eye in the Park Photography

09/06/2024

Courtesy of our friends at Greater Adirondack Ghost and Tour Company (Plattsburgh, NY) - Our annual series commemorating the Battle of Plattsburgh! - "The first bloody encounter." - 210 years ago today. September 6th, 1814 - After days of advancing relatively unopposed, first contact between the invading British and American forces finally takes place on the "Beekmantown Road" (now known as Route 22). The collision happened at dawn when a detachment of New York State Militia, at work destroying a bridge near the present-day Ashley Road, encountered advance units of the British Army's right wing emerging from the woods! The Militia exchanged fire with the enemy, but with the rest of the British column, some 4,000 - 6,000 men, bearing down on them, the volunteers broke and retreated back towards Culver Hill. A sharply fought stand was made at this rise by Major John Wool, commanding 250 U.S. Regulars, and General Benjamin Mooers' Militia, which deployed along the flanks of Wool's Infantry. Wool had been instructed by his commander, Brigadier General Alexander Macomb, to present "an example of firmness" to the Militia, and he intended to do just that. According to Macomb's "after action" report to the War Department, the outnumbered Americans "did considerable ex*****on among the enemy's columns." The oncoming British juggernaut ascended the rise to the sharp report of musket fire, piercing the morning air as the foes exchanged volleys. Amidst the din of the opening battle, British Lt. Col. James Willington was shot in the throat and fell dead as he wheeled his horse in the roadway, urging his men forward up the hill. Inside the nearby Culver farmhouse, which stood at its crest, seven-year-old Nathaniel Culver and his terrified family huddled in the cellar during the fight. According to one account, they could hear the sound of wounded soldiers being dragged across the creaking floorboards above. Casualties quickly piled up on both sides as the British pressed steadily onward, a seemingly endless line of red filling the road as far as the eye could see. Faced with an overwhelming force at his front, Major Wool received word that the left wing of the British Army (advancing down the "Lake Shore Road" / Route 9 North) was gaining on his rear. With little alternative to avoid being flanked, the Americans had no choice but to disengage and withdraw towards Plattsburgh.

09/06/2024

Our annual series commemorating the BATTLE OF PLATTSBURGH! - "A case of mistaken identity." - 210 years ago today. September 6th, 1814 - A few miles outside of Plattsburgh on Route 9 North (just north of the "Spellman Road"), stands this large stone structure once known as "Greystone Manor." Believe it or not, this unassuming house (apartments today) has a fascinating connection to the Battle of Plattsburgh. Built by a man named Philip Farnsworth around 1803, the building was originally called "Farnsworth's Tavern," and was a public house along the roadway, serving travelers with food, drink and lodging. While the right wing of the invading British Army engaged the American forces on the "Beekmantown Road" (Route 22), the "Lake Shore Road" (Route 9 North) saw the advance of the left wing. Some 7,000 enemy soldiers marching right towards Farnsworth's Tavern and Plattsburgh beyond. These soldiers had encamped the night before in the fields around Ingraham, and on the morning of the 6th, were making their final push into the town. At the time of the Battle, Mr. Farnsworth had actually been adding the second floor to his original single-story tavern, and the upper stone walls were still under construction. Local lore holds that when the British first spotted this imposing stone building, with its roofless upper floor, they immediately suspected it was an American fort guarding the roadway. Deploying their artillery, the invaders quickly opened fire on the empty tavern, bombarding the area for good measure. It was said that for many years afterwards, a rusty British cannonball remained tightly lodged in an old Elm Tree across the road.

09/01/2023

Wow! Check out this fantastic "then and now" photo, courtesy of our friends at the "Greater Adirondack Ghost & Tour Company." The top photograph shows Plattsburgh's magnificent railroad station, constructed by the Delaware and Hudson RR back in 1886. At the time of the image, the depot was truly the gateway to Plattsburgh and the Adirondacks beyond welcoming hundreds of passengers each day. After 1895, trolley service was also available from the station, connecting riders to six and a half miles of additional transportation throughout the City and to destinations south like the popular "Hotel Champlain."

GHOST TOURS TONIGHT!!! No advanced tickets or reservations required to attend (walk-ups are ALWAYS welcome!). 7:00 and 9:00 pm! Grab a friend and come join the fun...if you dare! Details below!

*"Then and Now:" Plattsburgh's iconic D&H train station as it appeared around 1900 and today! See this local landmark on tonight's ghost walk!!

08/26/2023

A special event for our friends in "Old Plattsburgh" today! A rare opportunity to explore one of the Lake City's FINEST surviving Victorian mansions! Opened to the public in its entirety for the first time in 150 years! https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=689017796602662&set=a.478334991004278

Join us TONIGHT for a pair of special "pop-up" GHOST TOURS at the Hartwell Mansion! 7:00 and 9:00 pm! Guests will experience ALL five floors of this magnificent Victorian landmark, from its lofty tower overlooking Lake Champlain, to the labyrinth-like basement, where Mr. Hartwell once secreted his vast wealth. We'll share spine chilling tales as we follow in the footsteps of the house's illustrious 19th century residents, who, some say, still wander its creaking halls and corridors!

*No advance tickets or reservations required (walk-ups are ALWAYS welcome!), so grab a friend and come join the fun...if you dare!!!

08/22/2023

A grim anniversary in Old Plattsburgh this week: On this date back in 1867, citizens were reeling in the aftermath of the "Great Fire!" On August 21st, 1867, a blaze broke out in the horse sheds behind the Presbyterian Church on Brinkerhoff Street, and sparked a raging inferno which quickly spread in all directions, ravaging the tightly packed buildings of the business district as it went. In all, some 70 structures were destroyed, stretching from Oak Street, east towards the Saranac River. This RARE stereoview was created by local photographer Henry K. Averill Jr., who was able to document the fire's aftermath even though his own photographic studio was among the lost. It was taken from the "Norton Block" (SE corner of the Bridge Street Bridge) looking west. In the distance is the ruins of the "burnt district" along Margaret Street, and Oak Street beyond. The surviving structures in the foreground, part of 'Norton's sawmill" at the time, are where the present-day "City Parking Lot" is now located.

08/22/2023

An interesting tale about one of Plattsburgh's ICONIC landmarks: the "Macdonough Monument!" Dedicated 97 years ago THIS month!!

Here's today's PHOTO OF THE DAY!!! This photograph from our archives tells an amazing story! 97 years ago this month, on August 18th 1926, Plattsburgh's iconic "Macdonough Monument" was officially unveiled to the public. At the time, it was estimated that a crowd of some 7,000 people were in attendance for the dedication ceremony. Rising 135-feet above the crowd that August morning, the towering eagle capped obelisk commemorated the September 11th, 1814 American naval victory in Plattsburgh Bay, widely regarded as the most decisive of the War of 1812. Commanding the U.S. fleet was Commodore Thomas Macdonough, for whom the monument was named. Although Macdonough had died in 1825, among the dignitaries and guests gathered for the ceremony were several of the Commodore's descendants, including Macdonough's grandson Rodney, and his 11-year-old great-granddaughter Isabelle, seen here. The keynote speaker was the U.S. Secretary of State, Frank B. Kellogg, who also posed for this photo (seated) in front of City Hall. But it was Isabelle Macdonough who would unveil the monument that day. pulling a ribbon that released the American Flag she's holding. Eight decades later, the Commodore's Great-Granddaughter spoke briefly with Matt, our Tour Director, about what it was like that day. With a twinkle in her eye, undimmed by the passage of time, she recalled the excitement of the event, her new dress, and how she sat on Mr. Kellogg's lap. In the years that followed, Isabelle would return to the scene of that long ago Battle many times, including as "Grand Marshall" of the annual Battle of Plattsburgh parade in 2003. Living well into her 90s, she credited "long generations" for her amazing link to the past, which certainly rings true, considering that her father, the Commodore's grandson, died in 1979 at the age of 103.