Grant's Cottage (Wilton, NY) -- June 2018

 When we were checking out stuff in the Chapman Museum, our plan afterward had been to get lunch and then head south to a different destination.  I saw a brochure about Grant's Cottage, and suggested to Mum & Dad that we head there to check it out.  Mum commented that they'd been there decades ago, but they had to go through a security gate because it was within the grounds which housed the Mount McGregor Correctional Facility.  But since the medium security facility had closed in 2014, that meant easier access to the State Historic Site.  And how did I miss this on my earlier visits back to the region?  And how did I not realize it was there in the first place?

Technically it was located in the town of Moreau, but the post office gave it an address of Wilton, so that was the one I used.  The gate which been the main entrance to the prison grounds was open, and we drove up a winding hill nearly to the top of the mountain.  The cottage, which was used by President Grant during his final days in 1885 was nestled in a nice wooded area.  A quick look beyond that showed the sprawling complex of the prison facility.  Although the gates to the main prison compound were open, and it appeared to be completely abandoned, there were "no trespassing" signs, so I stayed out of there.  Dad and I both commented we would've liked to go in and take a peak.

The cottage (when Grant inhabited it), was used in conjunction with another house (no longer standing).  This other home contained the kitchen, larder, and other preparations areas for those who dwelt at the cottage.  No, there wasn't any type of privy room here either, so there obviously had been an outhouse somewhere on the property.  The cottage was in decent shape for it's age, but it was in serious need of some exterior restoration, especially on the porch.  Perhaps a coat of paint to make it look as it did when Grant showed up there to write his memoirs.

You can't go up to the second floor, but the ground floor was where Grant spent his time.  From the chair he sat as he furiously scribbled, to the bottle of alcohol he sipped from to help ease the pain from his throat cancer.  The flower arrangements from his funeral are also present, having been untouched since they were placed there after the burial.  Those are fragile items which need to preserved, as they won't last much longer (and may not survive any attempt to move them now).

Nearby is a small path to a viewing area, where Grant would be wheeled down to look at the landscape of the area.  Excepting for a few large buildings, the view is relatively the same as Grant would've seen it.  This was a nice "hidden gem" that you should check out if you're in the area before the ravages of time take this from us.

Chapman Museum (Glens Falls, NY) -- June 2018

 The truth in full transparency is I didn't go here as often as I should've.  During high school we'd get crammed on a bus and driven out her to see how it was decorated for the Victorian Christmas and such.  I remember how they still used the original ornaments from the time period, and lost one every couple years because they were fragile with age.  Shamelessly, after school I forgot all about the place.  During the community college years I just drove by it, because I wasn't paying attention.  What was worse, when I lived in Glens Falls (and only a couple blocks from this very location), it had faded into the background.  Hell, I even worked in the building across the damn street from it, and it didn't even register.  Many times walking past the place, whether coming back from a hockey game or the pub, it never clicked in my mind.  When people would come to visit the area, I'd show them lots of other places, but had overlooked this one.  So shame on me, and I'm sorry to the museum for it.

When I was in the area last my brain finally recalled it's existence, and needed to go an see it.  The parts of the museum which were the original Victorian house were undergoing renovations, so I wasn't able to see those.  They let me peak into the dining room at least, but that was it.  The rest of the museum was in the barn-like annex next to it.  The information on the local history, and the old city maps, was really enjoyable.  I liked seeing the pictures of the way Glens Falls used to be.  Those historical items are precious and shouldn't be forgotten.

During the time there, we liked the displays of the turn-of-the-20th Century business machines, especially the telephone switchboard.  Yeah, that was someone's work station that they sat at for 8-10 hours each day plugging in on call, and joining another.  We don't even have directory assistance anymore, so that was something to think about.

Over in the special collections area was an exhibit on the past commercial signs of the region.  It sounds like that would be boring, but it was rather fascinating to see how many of the those signs are still in the area, as well as how things have changed for others.  While Martha's ice cream stand remains to this day, the establishment known as "Storytown USA" has been gobbled up by a corporate giant and replaced by Six Flags.

So when you're walking down the street of your city, no matter where you live, and you happen to notice a historical building ... take a second look.  And if this is a public place or museum you can enter, do so and discover (or rediscover) some information about where you live.

Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Defiance (Ticonderoga, NY) -- June 2018

 I think the last time I was at this fort was when I was not long after I'd graduated high school.  The restoration process was at a much-earlier stage than it was now, and I was glad to see how it had progressed.  Overlooking beautiful Lake Champlain, this fort dates back to the French & Indian War (1750's) and saw use during the American War of Independence.  In fact Colonial forces captured the Fort from the British in 1775 by none other than Benedict Arnold.  It was recaptured by the British in 1777, but they abandoned it the same year after the British defeat at Saratoga.  After the war, it was no longer of any military importance, and fell into ruins.  It was never utilized during the War of 1812.

Fort Ticonderoga was "America's Ruins," in the same way Europe had the ancient structures remaining from Roman occupation and such.  Of course, the time scale between those things would be vastly different, but it was a point of American pride.  The Fort was purchased by a private party in 1820, who turned it into a tourist attraction, but any attempts to restore it wouldn't begin for more than a century.

There was so much to see in the Fort, and a pictorial can't capture it all.  Many places are still blocked off as restoration is still in progress, but those open to the public show museum-quality exhibits of artifacts of the time period.  One part which I found a nice touch was a display to the World War Two-era aircraft carrier which proudly carried the name of this Fort.

After doing our tour in the Fort, we did the short drive up Mount Defiance which overlooks the area.  In 1777 British troops occupied the high ground, aimed a few cannons at the Fort, and made some good shows of force.  The British never truly sieged the Fort from here, as the Colonial forces withdrew.  The height of Mount Defiance only reaches to slightly over 850 feet, which gives an excellent view of Lake Champlain and the surrounding areas.

Star Trek Tours (Ticonderoga, NY) -- June 2018

 I'd heard about this a year or two earlier, so on my next trip to the New York region I made sure to hunt this place down for a visit.  It exists in an unassuming building which sets back from the road, but the mock-up of the shuttle craft out front let me know I'd arrived in the right place.  The entry area and lobby were filled with various collectible items from the primarily the 1960's original series, although there were a few items hanging out from the later incarnations.

The main aspect of the museum was a faithful recreation of the sets of the 1960's series.  This was done by some fans who filmed some of their own stories using these sets initially, and then shared it with everyone else by making a museum out of it.  The guided tour takes you down the familiar hallways, into the medical bay, meeting room, captain's quarters, engineering, and finally to the bridge.  Along the way there are various items from the original era or recreations thereof.

It was a fun way to see how the special effects for the original series was done by hand, as opposed to the computer-aided aspects we're used to now.  Most things are not to be handled to keep them in good condition, but you can "play" a little, like being on the transported pad.  This is definitely worth the trip for anyone who hasn't been here!