Before we came to Vermont on a mission, my knowledge of the state had come from the books I read by Robert Newton Peck, a Vermonter through and through. His works include A Day no Pigs Would Die, the Soup books, and Hang for Treason the story of the raid on Fort Ticonderoga by Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys. Ethan Allen is a true Vermont hero. We were excited to learn that Fort Ti is in our mission so we went to this historic site with Greg, Janeen, Millie, Christofer, and Trey.
Fort Ti, originally Fort Carillon, was built by the French between 1755 and 1759 and is strategically located on Lake Champlain. At one time it was connected to nearby Crown Point by a cleverly built floating bridge. The British occupied the Fort in May of 1775, when Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys along with Benedict Arnold bravely captured the Fort for use in the impending war. They claimed their authority to do so came from the great Jehovah and the Continental Army. The Fort fell into ruin after several battles and occupations and was restored in 1909 by a wealthy patron. The Fort has been continuously visited by tourists every season since then. We enjoyed the short ferry ride to the Fort.
The Green Mountain Boys are a symbol of much pride in Vermont. Vermont's National Guard Unit in Afghanistan have taken this historic name as their own. Fort Ti is well maintained and its history well-documented. We thoroughly enjoyed the demonstrations and lectures and the gardens which were beautiful. A vegetable garden was to die for--not a weed in sight.
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