As one of the original thirteen colonies, New York has numerous historically significant points of interest dating back to the founding of the nation. Many battles from the revolutionary war were fought around the area, and countless historical figures made their homes in New York and the surrounding states. Lots of these historical sites have been preserved as state parks or tourist attractions, providing ample day trip opportunities for the history buffs. What follows are a few of my recommended historical places to visit in upstate New York and nearby in Vermont.
Main house at Hildene
Located in Manchester, Vermont, Hildene is the family home of Robert Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln’s son. The house was purchased from the Lincoln family by a non-profit, and is now open for tourists to visit. Self-guided tour of the house takes less than an hour, but one could spend a full day exploring the entire estate. An extensive network of walking trails connects one point of interest to the next. Two of my favorite points on the estate were the Pullman car and the goat farm. An original Pullman train luxury car is open for visitors to walk through and admire. We used the free shuttle service to go from there to the goat farm on the far side of the estate, where you can learn about the cheese making process and pet some goats. There’s a lot to do, and I would recommend at least a half day to get the most out of a visit to Hildene.
Petting goats at the goat farm
Inside Fort Ticonderoga
Many battles from both the French and Indian and the Revolutionary Wars were fought at Fort Ticonderoga. The fort, located about two hours north of Albany, has been rebuilt and restored over the years to function now as a living museum. In addition to the indoor exhibits featuring historical artifacts from the revolutionary era, the fort staff give tours and demonstrations all throughout the day.
Musket firing demonstration
Beside the obligatory full-fort tour, my top recommendation would be the musket firing demonstration which takes place several times a day. Several staff members dressed up in military uniforms show firing line formations and musket reloading and firing. When we went the garden was already past peak, but I would also recommend the garden tour during peak season. Ticonderoga is another feature filled attraction that would best be visited for at least a half day, if not a full day.
View from the top of Bennington Monument
At over 200 feet high, the Bennington Monument towers over the town of the same name. The monument commemorates the Battle of Bennington from the Revolutionary War, and features some exhibits in the small museum at the base of the tower. But I’m highlighting this mostly because of the awesome view at the top. For $5 you can take a ride to the observatory at the top of the monument, where you can see parts of Vermont, New York, and Massachusetts. Visiting the monument shouldn’t take more than an hour or so, but you can combine it with other nearby attractions (such as the Bennington Museum) for a full day trip.
Artwork from the Bennington Museum
Comprised of four distinct areas of interest, the Saratoga National Historic Park is a full day attraction. The main part of the park is the battlefield. Visitors have the option of exploring the battlefield on car or bike on the main paved self-guiding tour road, or on foot via the many walking trails throughout the park. The road takes you to various historical points, including battle sites, monuments, and old army occupied buildings. I chose to drive the tour road, and it took me roughly four hours to see everything, plus another hour spent at the visitor center at the beginning of the road.
Cannons around the battlefield
A few miles north of the battlefield is the Schuyler House, where General Philip Schuyler lived. Hour-long tours run throughout the day. Northwest of the Schuyler House is the Saratoga Monument and Victory Woods. By the time I got this far, the monument was already closed for the day, but there was still enough sunlight to take a quick walk through the Victory Woods trail. The trail was about half a mile one way, and included various signs you could read about General Burgoyne’s last stand in those very woods. Overall it was a nice, relatively cheap (I only had to pay $5 for the battlefield - everything else was free) day trip, and highly recommended for anyone in the area with an interest in history.
The monument I didn't get to go up
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