Category Archives: Bicentennials

Bicentennials, Doris B Morton

The 200th

200 has been a figure in the news for over eight years. It proclaimed observances and celebrations for each of the years of the American Revolution in hamlets, towns, and cities.

This war surged across the eastern part of our country, touching down in and affecting all of the thirteen colonies. A brief tracing of its path shows it raged from Lexington and Concord to Boston to Skenesborough to Ticonderoga and as far north as Valcour Island. It surged across western New York with the Sullivan raid. It seesawed around New York City environs and turned south as far as Savannah, Georgia. It finally ceased at Yorktown, Virginia.

Celebrations of the events of these eight years centered mainly in 1976, the 200th anniversary of our nation. A most recent reenactment was at Saratoga, which celebrated the end of the war and the signing of the Treaty of Paris, 3 September 1783.

Now will come the 200th celebration of the birth of Washington County on 2 March 1784. The area encompassing the present county has been under the names of Tryon, Albany and Charlotte, of which much more will be heard later.

The County Supervisors have brought into being a committee to plan a fitting acknowledgment of the occasion. It is composed of persons who will represent the historical,-business, and financial interests of the communities – a county and two town historians, two preservation council members, Washington County Historical Society, two chamber of commerce presidents, and a bank financial advisor. The county planner heads the committee under the supervision of Whitehall’s Supervisor.

The organization meeting was held 6 September, 1983 and tentative plans for the observance were formulated.

It is hoped that each town and village will help in the celebration of this occasion.

Doris B. Morton, Town Historian – The Whitehall Independent – September 19, 1983

Bicentennials, Doris B Morton

Washington County Bicentennial Plans

The formal ceremony for the observance of the Bicentennial Anniversary of Washington County will be held April 2 at the Washington County Office Building in Fort Edward. The projected plan prepared by the Washington County Task Force Committee includes many interesting activities.

A new colorful county emblem has been designed and executed to be placed on a county flag and on other appropriate items. The emblem depicts the resources of the county – farming, mining, manufacturing, and forestry. The flag raising ceremony will be accompanied by a color guard. Assemblyman Neil Kelleher will present a resolution from the State Resolution followed by County resolutions accepting the emblem and the flag.

The keynote speaker will be Supervisor Jon Stevens who holds a keen interest in county history. A native Washington County tree will be planted by arborist George Callaway.

After these ceremonies, each of the seventeen supervisors will unveil a framed colored photograph from his town to be hung in the Supervisors Chambers. These have been chosen and prepared by the Preservation Council of Washington County.

A reprint of the Historic Resources of Washington County will be available. The original was published several years ago and is still in demand. A new edition of the Washington County map has been prepared with a picture of the first county courthouse on the cover. The Washington County Historical Society has presented a calendar with pictures of each of the towns and historic dates throughout the months. The BOCES faculty is preparing a county float that will be available for county and surrounding area parades.

Philatelists will be able to obtain commemorative stamps and cancellations in the lobby of the County Building and the Fort Edward Post Office that day. A booklet containing mini histories of the county and the seventeen towns prepared by the town historians will be on sale.

The first formal celebration ceremony commemorating the County Bicentennial promises to be interesting on April 2. It will be followed on July 21 by a “birthday” party on the County Fairgrounds.

Doris B. Morton, Town Historian – The Whitehall Independent – January 11, 1984

Bicentennials, Doris B Morton

Whitehall Festival 87 Logo

The pin containing Festival ‘87’s logo is the Row Galley WASHINGTON that was part of the first United States fleet that played an active part in the Battle of Valcour. It is the fifth ship chosen by the Festival for its activities during Festival week in July in Whitehall, Schooner LIBERTY, Schooner ROYAL SAVAGE, Sloop ENTERPRIZE, and Gundelo PHILADELPHIA.

In 1776 while the fleet was building in Skenesborough Harbor, Benedict Arnold, in charge of providing the ships, designed the row galley to replace the gundelo then being built. The row galley was larger to carry more men; it was heavier to carry more armament; it was easier to handle. Four such row galleys were built in the harbor WASHINGTON, CONGRESS, TRUMBULL, GATES. They were rigged in Ticonderoga and sent down the lake to join the rest of the fleet. All but one took part in the battle. The GATES was not  finished in time to reach Valcour Bay.

Since the British made a plan of this ship after its capture we know the dimensions: Hull, 80 feet; deck length, 72; keel length, 66; beam, 20; depth, 6; draft, 7; tonnage, BM 123. This design is in the national museum in Greenwich, England.
WASHINGTON was in the curved line of American ships stretched across Valcour Bay as the fleet met the British ships. That evening it followed the TRUMBULL as it led the American ships out of the Bay and fled toward Schuyler Island. The sails were badly ridden but after slight repairs ran guard, 13 October, at the rear of the fleeing ships that the British were fast overtaking. General David Waterbury asked permission to scuttle her but was refused. Shortly afterwards the enemy overtook her and her crew. They were later released and praised the kind treatment they received at the hands of the British.

The British repaired WASHINGTON and reached Crown Point with the British force. On 28 October 1776 with German General Riedesel aboard for St. John, she ran aground during a storm but was released by passing boats. There Riedesel left her for Three Rivers. She wintered at St. John.

The next year 1777 when General Burgoyne’s huge fleet started south toward Albany many small boats accompanied his fleet. Among them was Row Galley WASHINGTON with Gundelo JERSEY and Cutter LEE, which had also been captured by the British in the retreat from Valcour. She arrived at Fort Ticonderoga with troops and since the small boats accompanied General Burgoyne to Skenesborough it can be assumed that WASHINGTON was with them and two weeks later was sent back to Canada with the soldiers and officers effects as there were no horses to carry them south.

Row Galley WASHINGTON served the British until 1784 when she was allowed to deteriorate or was broken up in Canada. The Gundelo JERSEY and Schooner LIBERTY suffered the same fate.

Doris B. Morton, Town Historian – The Whitehall Times – January 15, 1987