Ticonderoga blends history and outdoor recreation
Ticonderoga is best known for its famous fort, but the town and fort share a name with far deeper roots. It derives from the Haudenosaunee’s name for the area, Chinandroga, which roughly translates to “the place between two waters.” It’s one of those names that just fits; the historic town perches on the northern tip of Lake George and edges along Lake Champlain to the east. Fort Ticonderoga, known for playing essential roles in the Revolutionary and French and Indian Wars, overlooks Lake Champlain.
Today, Ticonderoga is known for its history and access to nature. “Every type of outdoor activity that you could think of is here,” says Casey King, an associate broker at Julie & Co Realty who grew up in Ticonderoga and has been selling homes there for 13 years. “We have year-round residents and lake residents. The population kind of doubles during the summer; it’s a pretty big tourist area.” But at its heart, Ticonderoga remains a small town. “Everybody knows everybody, but it’s very welcoming because we’re used to having new people around,” King says. “It’s really just a tight-knit, friendly community. It’s people who enjoy being outdoors and the more rural lifestyle. You’ve got to be prepared to drive out of town when you live up here.”
Swimming and boating in the lakes, hiking and discovering history
The warm months here are spent boating, kayaking, fishing and swimming in Lake George and Lake Champlain. Lake George’s famously clear waters make it especially popular for swimming at spots like Roger’s Rock Swimming Beach. Beyond the water, nearly a third of Ticonderoga is taken up by state forests. Miles of hiking trails thread through these forests, with many wooded inclines ending in sweeping views of Lake George or Lake Champlain.
There’s even a paved trail in Ticonderoga’s downtown, the La Chute River Walk Trail, which leads to a small waterfall behind Bicentennial Park. The park offers a playground, baseball fields and tennis courts alongside the Ticonderoga Heritage Museum & Visitor Center. But the biggest place to explore Ticonderoga’s history is by far Fort Ticonderoga itself. The fort still stands today, hosting tours and historical reenactments. For golfers, the Ticonderoga Golf Course offers an 18-hole public course.
Rural, suburban and lakefront homes
Historic colonials and traditional houses built between 1880 and 1925 sit alongside ranch-style homes, Cape Cods and Adirondack-style cabins. Although downtown homes have generous yards, most have under an acre; rural or waterfront homes often sit on over an acre. Inland homes can drop to $130,000 if they’re fixer-uppers and max out at about $300,000. Homes on Lake George or Lake Champlain typically have private docks and cost between $550,000 and $2.2 million. On the smaller Eagle Lake, lakefront homes cost less, but they don’t sell often; estimated values put them between $420,000 and $675,000.
A growing downtown with local restaurants and shops
Most of Ticonderoga’s locally owned businesses are on a walkable section of Montcalm Street. Burleigh’s Luncheonette is known for its breakfast menu, milkshakes and retro vibe, complete with checkered floors and a teal and pink color scheme. Hot Biscuit is also almost synonymous with Ticonderoga. Other spots include a pizza restaurant and pub. On hot summer days, residents cool off with ice cream at The Wind-Chill Factory. It’s also home to the Star Trek Original Series Set Tour, which William Shatner occasionally visits for events.
Residents support local businesses whenever they can. Small Town Boutique is the go-to place for clothing shopping in town. King sits on Ticonderoga Natural Foods Co-Op’s board. “We support the local farmers,” King says, adding that the store provides easy access to locally sourced and organic foods. What residents can’t get at local shops, they get right in town at Walmart — or 48 miles away in Glens Falls.
Ticonderoga’s downtown has changes underway. “Ticonderoga just got the DRI Grant, which is from the state to kind of renovate and upgrade the downtown area, so that’s been big,” King says. “And it’s revamping the front of the downtown district already.” The town plans to use the $10 million grant to turn the downtown into a cultural hub. As a separate push for this, six murals were commissioned in the downtown.
Ticonderoga’s “The Best 4th in the North” celebrations
The Fourth of July is a huge four-day celebration in Ticonderoga. “We have a parade, they usually have a carnival set up in Bicentennial Park, different events during the four days and culminating with a really big fireworks display on the Fourth of July,” King says. “I didn’t realize that the Fourth of July wasn’t that big of a deal in other places until I got older and started traveling.”
An hour to Glens Falls on state routes
State Route 9N and state Route 22 both lead south toward Glens Falls, where amenities like Glens Falls Hospital are located. State Route 74 also runs through town. Albany International Airport is 98 miles away.
All students in Ticonderoga’s small district attend the same schools
Niche gives the Ticonderoga Central School District a C-plus. Students attend pre-kindergarten through sixth grade at Ticonderoga Elementary School before moving to Ticonderoga Junior Senior High School. Both schools earn C-plus ratings, and the high school offers extracurriculars like honor society, yearbook and art clubs. North County Community College is also in Ticonderoga.
Flooding can damage roads and driveways
With so many waterways in and around Ticonderoga, flooding is a risk. Past floods have washed out local roads and driveways. Residents tell news stations local response to damage is quick, but major repairs can keep detours in place for a few weeks.
Written By
Christina Norwood
