Plattsburgh Memorial Chapel, 100 US Oval, Plattsburgh
Join Arthur Cohn, Nautical Archaeologist and Research Associate of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology at Texas A&M University, for an illustrated presentation exploring 1776 – The Battle of Valcour Island and the Legacy Left Behind.
By 1776, the American Revolution was entering its second year, and the fight for independence was in serious jeopardy. Following the disastrous campaign in Quebec, a sick and demoralized American army retreated to Lake Champlain, where control of the waterway would become critical to the future of the Revolution.
That struggle culminated in the Battle of Valcour Island, a three-day naval engagement that helped shape the course of the war and earned its place in history as the “Key to Liberty.”
Cohn will explore the battle’s significance in American and British history, the cultural and archaeological legacy it left behind, and ongoing efforts to preserve this remarkable piece of Lake Champlain history for future generations.
