Path: news.dreamscape.com!sa28 From: [log in to unmask] (Concerned) Newsgroups: alt.archaeology Subject: LAST OF MOHICANS SITE DESTROYED Date: Mon, 11 Mar 96 16:33:55 GMT Organization: Dreamscape Online, Inc. Lines: 170 Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]> NNTP-Posting-Host: sa28.dreamscape.com X-Newsreader: News Xpress Version 1.0 Beta #4 Status: N LAST OF THE MOHICANS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE TO BE DESTROYED A historic, cultural resource of National importance is about to be destroyed by an electric utility in Lake George, New York. This site should have been recommended to the National Register as a National Historic Site, however, this did not take place. The contract archaeologist that mitigated the property is Jeanette Collamer of Collamer and Associates. Why was this property not eligible for the Historic Register? A site is eligible for the National Register if it meets just one or more of the following criteria: (New York Archaeological Council, article 3.1) 1. Associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. 2. Associated with the lives of persons significant in our past. 3. Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type or period 4. Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information in prehistory or history. The Lake George historic site meets all of the previous criteria that would enable it to be eligible for the National Register. It is significant in the history and culture of New York State as well as the Nation. The chronological date of this archaeological site is personified by the movie, The Last of the Mohicans, starring Daniel Day-Lewis as Hawkeye. The year is 1757 and the battle is raging between the French and English at Fort William Henry. The French general, the Marquis de Montcalm has 10,000 troops at his disposal. Montcalm sends one of his officers, de Levis, to occupy the elevated ground to the west. Obedient, de Levis positions his troops on the high ground above the British fort and away from the swamps. This location is ideal for the encampment of a large number of soldiers. Clear water is available from a small stream at the base of this rocky promontory for swabbing down the cannon and for drinking purposes. In addition, the land is extremely steep on several sides of this defensive position. This elevated ground would hinder a frontal assault by the British troops; an attack would be suicidal. The terrain is ideal for de Levis to set his mortars in place. The cannon are positioned on this uplifted portion of the landscape, one hundred feet or so above the fort. The battle is already won because of the topography of this location. The cannon and mortars pulverize the English position. Fort William Henry is battered into submission with relentless abandon and loss of life. The Marquis de Montcalm is victorious this day; the British are defeated at Lake George and Fort William Henry is burned. This archaeological site is a pristine historical property. The land has never been corrupted by the plow or disturbed by man since the French and Indian War. When the duff layer of pine needles and debris is peeled back on your excavation units, you have an artifact record of unparalleled provenience. The feelings that you experience from the material remains takes you back to the battlefield; you imagine you are at the battle of Lake George. The landscape is scattered with subsurface remains of hearths, storage pits, gun parts, coins, lead shot, French flint, brass buttons, cookingware, chunks of burned wood embedded with handwrought copper nails, contact and woodland projectile points and human bone fragments. The most prominent features on this site are the mortar entrenchments. There are twenty plus mortar pits averaging twelve to fifteen feet in diameter. The entranceways to these entrenchments are still visible and are orientated southward from the depressions. Over the years, local residents have dumped trash in the pits and this has helped to maintain the pristine integrity of the site. At the bottom of these features, archaeological litter is commonplace. Artifacts such as pieces of cannon barshot, shattered artillery implements, and large fragments of burned wood from the fixed timbered beds of the mortars are typical. These pits will be destroyed. Where else in New York State do you have mortar entrenchments from the French and Indian that are still distinguishable and archaeologically intact? Next to the mortar pits on the property, you can view the original military road that was built by the British to service Fort William Henry. The road travels adjacent to the mortar site and parallel to Lake George. At a point north of this location, the route exhausts itself between the high ground and the swamps. It then takes an abrupt turn and falls straight off the escarpment to the Fort. This pathway for troops and wagons is cut into a sandy subsoil and in places is ten feet deep. Except for a small amount of erosion, this road is similar to that which was constructed in 1757 or before. It is simply unbelievable. Due to a lack of communication this site is going to be destroyed by Niagara Mohawk, an electric utility based in Syracuse, New York. They are going to bulldoze this historic example of National significance and replace it with a power station. This multi-component site that has withstood the ravages of time for 239 years will be destroyed in the spring of 1996. We will lose one of the few intact examples of early Colonial history. THESE QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ANSWERED What happened to the National Historic Preservation Act? Why was the site not recommended to the National Register? Is there a conflict of interest? Why were archaeological field schools denied access to this site? According to the New York Archaeological Council code of ethics, Collamer had an obligation as a professional to present the particulars of this property to the public in a timely and responsible manner. Was this effected? Collamer requires all her employees to sign a contract that prohibits you from revealing any info on her sites? Why? I thought this was public information. At least be able to discuss the specifics of your finds, you don't have to reveal the location. Human bone fragments were found on this site. Were they identified as Euro-American or Native American? Was this made public? Why wasn't there testing for French and Native American burials? There are still burials unaccounted for at this battlesite. Prominent archaeologists from the Albany to Fort Edward area knew about this site. Why didn't they, as professionals, do something to correct the situation. Did the Adirondack Chapter of the New York State Archaeological Association know about this site? Fort Edward is close to the site. Contact: Sarah Majot- Treasurer ( also, crewchief for Collamer). The end result of this whole situation is that we have another archaeological site that is going to be destroyed. Can we do something about it? I NEED YOUR HELP. PEOPLE YOU CAN E-MAIL FOR SUPPORT Lynn Sullivan State Museum [log in to unmask] Joseph Bruno State Senator [log in to unmask] Hugh Farley State Senator [log in to unmask] Greenpeace [log in to unmask] PEOPLE YOU CAN CALL FOR SUPPORT Ronald Stafford Warren County State Senator (518) 455-2811 Bernadette Peters Commissioner, Parks and Rec (518) 474-0443 Robert Kuhn SHPO (518) 474-0463 Town of Lake George (518) 668-5722 PEOPLE YOU CAN FAX Joseph Bruno State Senator Fax (518) 455-2448 Robert Kuhn SHPO Fax (518) 233-9049 Bernadette Peters Commissioner Fax (518) 474-4492 COLLAMER AND ASSOCIATES FAX (518) 426-9624 COLLAMER'S ADDRESS Jeanette Collamer and Associates 73 Dove Street Albany, New York COLLAMER'S FAX Fax (518) 426-9624 NIAGARA MOHAWK [log in to unmask] 1-800-932-0301 Can anyone make additions to the above list? Send this posting to as many individuals or organizations as you can. The only way we can save this site is through public opinion. I need help. I will make revisions to this posting in the weeks ahead and keep you informed of the results. CONCERNED grad student is my name right now. You can access this post at the newsgroup sci.archaeology or alt.archaeology. However, I will only answer questions at the alt.archaeology newsgroup. If you need to talk to me or wish to see the site, leave a telephone number when you post at alt.archaeology. Thank you. Bibliography: Parkman, Francis 1897, 1898 France and England in North America. The Works of Francis Parkman, volume V111. Boston, Little, Brown and Company, The University Press, Cambridge, Mass pp.488, 509, 513, 515, 516, 517 Excellent map of the de Levis' site. DIRECTIONS TO THE FRENCH SITE ROUTE 9 NORTH TO LAKE GEORGE. AS YOU ARE COMING DOWN THE HILL ON ROUTE 9 NORTH INTO THE VILLAGE, TURN LEFT ON BIRCH AVENUE. FOLLOW BIRCH AVE TO THE END. DO NOT DRIVE INTO A HOMEOWNERS DRIVEWAY, BIRCH ENDS JUST OUTSIDE OF HIS PROPERTY. YOU WILL PASS GAGE ROAD AND A CEMETARY ON THE RIGHT BEFORE YOU ARRIVE AT THE END OF THE ROAD. THE NIAGARA MOHAWK TRANSMISSION LINES ARE AT THE END OF BIRCH AVE. TURN RIGHT (WALK, NO VEHICLE) AND FOLLOW NIMO LINES FOR 100 FEET. SITE IS ON THE RIGHT. WALK TO THE BACK OF THE SITE AND THE MILITARY ROAD IS VISIBLE. WALK THE HIGH GROUND AND LOOK AT THE MORTAR ENTRENCHMENTS. ARTIFACTS ARE STREWN ALL OVER THE PLACE. HUMAN BONE FRAGMENTS-BE CAREFUL. GO TO THIS HISTORIC SPOT BEFORE THE BULLDOZERS ARRIVE.