The Plattsburgh, New York region has a military history dating back to the beginning of the country. The town and veterans’ groups announced Thursday that construction will soon begin on a memorial project to commemorate soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and beyond.
The Battlefield Memorial Gateway Park is planned on the shore of Lake Champlain on former Plattsburgh Air Force Base property. The site is directly across from Crab Island where both American and British soldiers from the Battle of Plattsburgh, which occurred on September 11, 1814, are buried.
In 2017, Town of Plattsburgh Supervisor Michael Cashman was approached with an idea to honor veterans and town planners began working with the American Legion on concept plans for a veterans memorial park.
“We wanted a multi-generational space that would be an opportunity to get close to the battlefield that occurred right here on Lake Champlain and also a place where people could use it as a jumping off point to many other locations within the greater Plattsburgh region and the North Country.”
Democratic state Assemblyman D. Billy Jones secured an initial 250-thousand dollar grant for the project. The project then received an American Battlefield Protection grant, and has received additional grants and private donations. Cashman says that has moved the project into a new phase.
“We owe it to these men and women who give everything in service to our country to continue to recognize them. The big objective of this park is to have it operational by 2026 which is the 250th anniversary of our great nation. And we are really excited to announce that we are going to start with Phase 1 of construction. We are now at a point where dozers and shovels will be on site and this will become active in the spring.”
Friends of Crab Island member and Sons of the American Legion member John Rock was the person who came to Supervisor Cashman with the initial idea.
“This place is hallowed ground. As you look out right behind us to Crab Island, the War of 1812, is where Commodore (Thomas) Macdonough fought the decisive battle that finally freed us. And this is a corridor and an area that our freedoms for our new country was actually born. And that’s why this is such hallowed ground and this park on one of our viewing areas over here you will be able to look out over the battlefield where Commodore Macdonough fought as well as looking down the lake south to the Battle of Valcour, which was a very important battle. So this is a very special place and it’s going to be a very special place. We have very, very strong ties with our veterans in this North Country. Not only Plattsburgh Air Force Base, from 1776 every various war, conflicts and everything else that this country has been involved in.”
Clinton County American Legion Commander Joe Patnode says the park will also honor future veterans.
“I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for the history of this area and to keep the history up on what’s happened throughout time and we’re also going to include our future veterans that will be coming in to whatever we may need them for, you know, any battles or whatever we may come into.”
Rock believes the new park will become a place where people will learn about critical battles in the nation’s early history.
“This is going to end up being a destination area for New York state and all of the rest of the country for people to finally come and hear the story of what has really taken place here. We’ve sent so many representatives of veterans to every war from 1776 right on up to now.”
Members of the American Legion are already clearing parts of the property in advance of construction. The Legion is the fundraising arm of the project while the Town of Plattsburgh is the grant facilitator.
The Battlefield Memorial Gateway Park will be built in three phases and is expected to be completed in 2026.