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Fort Ticonderoga Exhibits
Face of War Exhibit at the
Fort Ticonderoga Museum
The powder horn collection is one of the
largest anywhere. The intricate illustrations
on them tell much about the soldiers
and what happened here at Ticonderoga
during the 18th century.
Face of War: Triumph & Tragedy at Ticonderoga, 1758-1759
Hardship, fatigue, terror, sorrow and elation are all part of a soldiers' experience and are often overlooked or forgotten. The real stories of those who fought in the wars across the centuries are both emotionally charged and historically revealing. Museums can capture the uniforms, the arms, even photos of nightmarish conditions but only the words of the actual soldier allow us to share what the experience of war was really like. Share in war experience through the letters and journals kept by soldiers who fought on this site during the French & Indian War.
Face of War examines three very different views of this period in the Fort's history, from the French, British and Native perspectives. "The Face of War" is the inaugural exhibit in the Deborah Clarke Mars Education Center. The building itself is part of the story being told by this exhibit; it is the authentic reconstruction of the magasin du Roi, the King's warehouse, blown up by the French as they evacuated the Fort in July 1759. The entire exhibit is offered in both French and English.
Unlike most traditional "battle" exhibits, "The Face of War" does not focus exclusively on tactics and actions, this exhibit is about the people who fought at Ticonderoga in 1758-1759 and how their lives and lives of their families were changed forever by these events.
The exhibit explains four main topics; who was involved in the battles for Ticonderoga, why did they fight, what happened during the battles, and how the outcome of these battles affected the peoples involved. These topics are explored through the experiences of the three different cultures that participated in these battles, Native, French, and British. Men's and women's stories illustrate the experience of war both on the battlefield and on the home front.
These experiences are dramatically brought to life through the use of original artifacts, hands-on interactives, and recorded songs and stories. Objects such as knives, arms and other Native trade goods and wampum illustrate how military alliances are made between Natives and Europeans. British soldiers' journals and powder horns record the experiences of battle. Nations created special objects celebrating their victories such as medals, prints, commemorative ceramics, and pamphlets. These are the modern day equivalents to bumper stickers, tee shirts, and coffee mugs.
Hands-on interactive stations allows visitors to learn how messages are conveyed using wampum and see how the arrangement of fortifications impacted the effectiveness of musket fire on the battlefield. Audio components explore the Native relationship to European settlers, French victory songs, and the little-known history behind the song "Yankee Doodle."
