Fort William Henry

At the head of Lake George, immediately above the village beach. The original Fort William Henry was built in 1755 and destroyed in 1757, the action that James Fenimore Cooper turned into Last of the Mohicans. The current fort is a 1950s reconstruction on the original footprint, with palisades, barracks, officers' quarters, and a 2.5-acre footprint that's small enough to walk in a morning. The tour is the main product. Guides in period dress lead a roughly 90-minute interpretive walk that covers the daily life of the garrison, the geopolitics of the French and Indian War, and the 1757 siege. Black powder demonstrations (muskets and cannon) happen on a posted schedule and are the part kids remember. The museum collection inside fills out the artifacts and exhibits angle. Visits run two to three hours. Tickets are valid two consecutive days, which is the right way to use the museum without rushing. Seasonal Haunted History tours run on select dates in October. Gift shop on site; restaurants are a short walk into Lake George Village. Open seasonally, spring through fall, with current hours and admission on the website.