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New York State's
beautiful, spring-fed glacial lake is sometimes referred to as the
Queen of American Lakes. Lake George is renowned for its
natural beauty and the important role it played in early American
history.
  The
lake stretches north/south approximately 32 miles in length. Its
crystal clear waters, bordered by steep mountainsides, vary in
width from 1-3 miles in width. The lake is considered part of
the Lake Champlain
Basin because it drains north into Lake Champlain down a number
of waterfalls through a short and narrow stream known as La
Chute at
Ticonderoga, New York.
The lake was long
considered an important passageway through the mountain wilderness.
The Iroquoian natives referred to the lake as Andiatarocté or the
shut-in lake, while the early French missionary
Isaac Jogues,
the first European to travel the lake, named it Lac du Saint-Sacrement
(Lake of the Holy Sacrament). The lake may have been discovered by
Samuel
de Champlain during his North American explorations of 1609.
Lake George figured
prominently during the early conflicts on the North American
continent. It was the scene of major military actions during the
French and Indian (Seven Years) War and the American Revolution.
Important forts were constructed on each end of the waterway during
the French and Indian War.
Fort
William Henry on the southern end and Fort Carillon, later known
as Fort
Ticonderoga, on the northern end of the lake, each were the site
of major battles during this bloody conflict.
Once the colonial
wars ended, the lake became a recreational haven, drawing tourists
from everywhere to travel the beautiful lake in steamships and
vacation on its mountainous, heavily wooded shores. Lake George
remains a major recreational locale for tourists.
 Lake
George Facts:
Elevation: 320 feet above sea level
Length: 32.2 miles
Drains: South to north, drains into the La Chute River
at Ticonderoga,
New York, into Lake Champlain
Number of islands: Over 170
Maximum depth: 200 feet |
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Copyright © 2006 America's Historic Lakes
Images of Lake George
Aerial photos courtesy of Doug Harwood
(Click on the thumbnails to see a full-size image)
* Sarah N. Randolph, "The
Domestic Life of Thomas Jefferson" (Harper & Brothers Publishers,
New York, 1871) 201 |
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