"The warpath of empire:" preservation and interpretation of French and Indian War sites in Lake George, New York

Abstract

The Military Road, built by the British in 1755 during the French and Indian War, was used to move men and supplies from the Hudson River to Lake George in upstate New York through the North American wilderness. As such, it was a vital link in the “warpath of empire” between three mighty powers: the British, French, and Iroquois. After the war ended, the Military Road faded from the landscape, but the fortifications, blockhouses, and battlefields associated with it remain part of the landscape to the present day. This project examines these sites for their preservation and interpretive history and status, and based on these observations, recommends the creation of a Military Road Trail. This recommendation, based on other successful national preservation and interpretive programs, allows stakeholder participation in creating unified narrative and interpretive themes and creates and enhanced visitor experience for the French and Indian War in Lake George, New York.