Saratoga National Historical Park Hosts Special Events in September

News Release Date:
August 28, 2024

Contact:Garrett Cloer, (518) 670-2980

Saratoga National Historical Park Hosts Special Events in September

Stillwater, N.Y. -Saratoga National Historical continues its special events season in September with the following offerings:

Where are we?
Saturday, September 7
10:30 am
Visitor Center
This 60-minute, hands-on session provides participants with a basic-level understanding of compass use, map reading, and the essentials of orienteering. No GPS here, we're doing this "old school!" Space is limited, so email us at [email protected] to reserve your spot.

Stayin' alive!
Saturday, September 7
12:30 pm
Visitor Center
This 60-minute, hands-on program exploring some of the basics of wilderness survival, including: getting water, starting a fire, basic shelter, safety, signaling, personal gear, and why food is the least of your concerns! Space is limited, so email us at [email protected] to reserve your spot.

History Caravan
Sunday, September 8
9:30 am
Meet in the Visitor Center
Looking for a more in-depth, hands-on experience during your visit? Join a Park Volunteer for a caravan-style tour of the Battlefield! Tours will last 2.5-3 hours. Meet in the Visitor Center and follow along in your own vehicle for as long as you like. May be cancelled in the event of inclement weather. If you would like to reserve your spot and be notified in case of the need to reschedule due to weather, contact [email protected].

Canal Walk
Tuesday, September 10
10:00 am to 11:30 am
Tour Stop 10
Meet Biological Technician Linda White at Tour Stop 10 for a walk along the Champlain Canal celebrating it's opening in 1823.

History Caravan
Saturday, September 14
9:30 am
Meet in the Visitor Center
Looking for a more in-depth, hands-on experience during your visit? Join a Park Volunteer for a caravan-style tour of the Battlefield! Tours will last 2.5-3 hours. Meet in the Visitor Center and follow along in your own vehicle for as long as you like. May be cancelled in the event of inclement weather. If you would like to reserve your spot and be notified in case of the need to reschedule due to weather, contact [email protected].

Battle of Freeman's Farm Walking Tour
Saturday, September 21
2:00 pm
Meet at Tour Stop 6
Join Park Ranger Eric Schnitzer as he gives a guided tour of Freeman's Farm, the place where most of the first battle of Saratoga was fought on September 19, 1777. The battle - one of the longest land battles of the eight-year-long war - was a terrible fight over farm fields and woods and ended up costing the lives of hundreds of men and boys, most of whom are still buried in unmarked graves near where they fell. Meet at the Freeman Farm parking lot (stop 6); the tour will last for about one hour.

18th Century Medicine
Saturday, September 21 & Sunday, September 22
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Visitor Center Lawn
Volunteer Joe Craig explains the Healing Arts at the time of the Revolutionary War.

Royalist Refugee Encounters
Saturday, September 21 & Sunday, September 22
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Tour Stop 9
Discover one of the lesser-known stories of the American Revolution as we commemorate 250 years of the United States. When considering the American Revolution, many only think of two opposing forces, the British and the Americans. Yet there is another important and yet often neglected contingent, those who chose to maintain their loyalty to England. There were many families in this region who considered themselves Loyalists, a path chosen for a variety of reasons. This is your chance to talk with a woman who is making her way northward to Canada to reunite with relatives who have already fled the region. Take a few minutes to chat about her unique circumstances, the items she chose to pack, her plans for the journey, and her fears for the future.

Soldier Encampment at Saratoga Battlefield
Saturday, September 21 & Sunday, September 22
10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday and 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Sunday
Tour Stops 2 & 6
Soldiers return to Saratoga! Some of the heaviest fighting in the two Battles of Saratoga involved Major Dearborn's Corps of Light Infantry on the American side and General Fraser's Advanced Corps on the British. Both bodies were made up of soldiers pulled from different regiments in their respective armies. You can meet American soldiers from the 1st New Hampshire, and the 3rd and 10th Massachusetts at Tour Stop 2. Watch soldiers fire muskets, drill, post guard, cook, and sew clothing while there. British soldiers from the 24th and 62nd Regiments of Foot will await you at Tour Stop 6! Activities there will include soldiers drilling, posting guard, cooking, and sewing clothing.

Bird Walk
Saturday, September 28
8:00 am to 10:30 am
Meet in the Visitor Center Parking Lot
Biological Technician Linda White leads a walk in search of some of Saratoga's bird friends.

Frederick Douglass Returns to Schuylerville- Rescheduled from July!
Saturday, September 28
10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Schuyler House
Join us as we commemorate and examine 250 years of the United States and meet the great abolitionist and freedom fighter Fredrick Douglass as he returns to Schuylerville! Despite promising in the Declaration of Independence that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness," the new nation that emerged after the Battles of Saratoga and the American Revolution did not begin to approach those lofty ideals. Among other failings, the nation's continued reliance on slavery, present from the beginning here in New York, and the exclusion of women from voting were just two of the most glaring. Frederick Douglass, himself having experienced enslavement, emerged as one of the most forceful advocates for addressing both in the 19th century.

3:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Town of Saratoga Town Hall (12 Spring St., Schuylerville, NY)
Inspired by the ideals of the American Revolution and the sacrifices of his forefathers, the Black men of the Continental Army and militias who served throughout the war and here at Saratoga, Frederick Douglass argued for the creation of the United States Colored Troops during the Civil War. After the war, he continued advocating for an expanded idea of democracy. One place he did that was in Schuylerville, NY on June 8, 1849. Nathan Richardson is an author, poet, and historian who has performed as Frederick Douglass around the United States for more than a decade.
Visit go.nps.gov/saraevents for a complete and updated list!

-NPS-

About Saratoga National Historical Park: This unit of the National Park Service preserves, protects and interprets the sites associated with the battles, siege and surrender of the British forces at Saratoga. The park encompasses five sites including the Saratoga Battlefield, General Philip Schuyler's House, Victory Woods, the Saratoga Monument and Sword Surrender Site totaling 3,579 acres. For more information about Saratoga National Historical Park, please call the Visitor Center at (518) 670-2985, visit www.nps.gov/sara or find the park on Facebook or Twitter @SaratogaNHP.

About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for more than 400 national park sites and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

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