The Forgotten War Remembered

History comes alive at the Battle of Plattsburgh Interpretive Center

Story by Tiffany Richards
Photos courtesy of Kristina Parker-Wingler and Tiffany Richards

The location is secluded away in a hidden section of the Old Army Base where not even taxi drivers lurk in its presence. The yellow green soil lies deserted, begging for what once was. Structures stand in their own little sections of land waiting for something to at least look their way. Empty military barracks whisper their cries out for just a touch. The Old Army Base in Plattsburgh, NY was desolated and in need of the comfort of a fellow visitor. Yet in one particular building on these historic grounds, the Battle of Plattsburgh Interpretive Center echoes the sounds of 10,000 marching soldiers that once stood on this land on September 11, 1814, waiting to fight for for their nation's liberty.
           

The Battle of Plattsburgh Interpretive center has goals to let the history shine through to their visitors. "Our goal is to educate the public about the war of 1812 and the battle of Plattsburgh," says Kristina Parker-Wingler, the museum's manager. Many people that come to the museum are not well educated on what went on here 195 years ago."Most people that come here aren't real familiar with the war of 1812 let alone the Battle of Plattsburgh. Historians call the War of 1812 the forgotten war because it kind of just falls through the cracks," Parker says.  

There has never been a larger invasion ever, says Keith Herkalo, president of the  Battle of Plattsburgh Association.

“The battle of Plattsburgh is one of the battles that you really don't have taught in schools especially in the local area," says Richard Wingler, Vice-President of the BOPA."Even though it was the most decisive battle of the war," he adds. Their goal is to reverse the revisionist history and essentially go back to the truth, says Heraklo."That's our job – to spread the word."

Their goals spread further than just bringing people to the museum."Our website currently features educational program ranks for classrooms per use of classrooms as well as people who visit here," says Parker. The museum is shooting for national standards rather than state standards so that their information can serve people all over the country. They can custom make a program of the battle of Plattsburgh information for any age group and time constraint visitors may have."We're trying to integrate the correct story into school children countrywide," Herkalo says.

“That's our job – to spread the word."

With all these goals, the interpretive center has set itself up to bring the battle of Plattsburgh to life."I think from a visitors perspective, our diorama really explains to people the battle is here and you are here. It brings it home," Parker says. That's probably their favorite piece, she adds. The center also holds different events throughout the year. Every second Wednesday of the month, the museum either has a speaker or a movie night that has something to do with the war of 1812, she says. In May, there is the Military of Plattsburgh time line. The Plattsburgh Air force Redevelopment Core allows the museum to use their space. During the summer, teachers come in with their students and camp out on the grounds. They do marches and drills replicating the events of the battle."We do a summer safari which is a program that we offer in conjunction with the North Country Teacher Resource center at SUNY Plattsburgh thats a week long day camp for kids."

Yet, even with all the museum has to offer, there's one piece that exudes the history of the battle though it's not at the museum."I think artifact wise, the best one Plattsburgh has is the Confiance anchor in City Hall," Parker says. The anchor was recovered by the help of New York State and other organizations in 1998. The anchor has been conserved and is on display at City Hall."Looking at the anchor and imagining that came out of the largest ship in Lake Champlain, it gives you a type of scale that I don't think you could really get otherwise," says Parker. The interpretive center has a piece of this discovery too. They have underwater footage to help visitors better understand what it looks like underwater.

The learning experience this museum offers brings a variety of people to its doors. They get school groups and people from all different parts of New York like Albany, Chazy, and Peru. The ROTC program from SUNY Plattsburgh experienced what the museum had. Even a group of choral eighth grade boys from Manhattan decided to visit the historic site one day.

Parker emphasizes joy in meeting new people in her daily work at the museum. "I really enjoy my job because I get to meet so many people with so many different perspectives," she says. And with these different people come different ideas about this ignored war. "We get the Canadians and they come down and have a whole different perspective on the war of 1812. Or you get the British who are going 'The battle of Plattsburgh? Yea, OK.'"

“I really enjoy my job because I get to meet so many people with so many different perspectives."

In order for them to have a present, they must have a past. The Battle of Plattsburgh Interpretive Center was charted in 1998 and has been growing over the years."We've expanded and we opened a second building," says Parker."We're actually doing a renovation project. Over that time period, it's been changing all the time." The museum holds a main staff of only Parker, but it has a staff of volunteers, interns, and of the BOPA members. Yet, being the only staff member during the week made things difficult for Parker."Because of that, the two buildings, running back and forth across the street was hard." The museum plans to expand itself by moving the main center into one building. The manager says this extra space could be used for special events and classroom space.

These visitors wouldn't get a chance to visit this site if there was no support system holding them up. The museum receives revenue by donations and by membership to the Battle of Plattsburgh Association. This association is a non-profit educational corporation that owns the interpretive center."The association was formed in the event in bringing in the interpretive center and operating for the  present museum as well as expanding to other artifacts," says Wingler. The association is run by a board of trustees."Anyone can be a member of the association. We need volunteers to help all the members, not just the board members." The interpretive center itself is opened to the public and people can walk in for free to see the exhibits, says Herkalo. They do charge for large groups though. "We're a business that happens to be a museum," says Parker, a motto she says came from Herkalo.

The work to put this museum in motion has Parker hoping they're visitors have a better understanding of what happened here in Plattsburgh."Then they understand what part this area played in the nations history. We hope that they pick up something and take it back with them."

What do you know about the Battle of Plattsburgh?