Look for the new sign coming soon!
PRESS RELEASE: July 22, 2009
Contact: Teresa Mitchell, Great Lakes Seaway Trail, 315-646-1000
Two Great Lakes Seaway Trail Outdoor Storytellers Unveiled in Ogdensburg
 (L to r) New York State Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell (left) joined several New York State 250th French and Indian War Anniversary Commemoration Commission members at the unveiling of one of two Great Lakes Seaway Trail outdoor storyteller interpretive panels in Ogdensburg, NY. Left to right are Russell, Commission Vice-Chair Nicholas Westbrook, Fort La Présentation Association President Barbara O’Keefe, and Commission members John L. Osinski, Great Lakes Seaway Trail, Inc. President & CEO Teresa Mitchell, and Michael F. Woods. The panel shares some of the history of Fort Lévis that was build on Chimney Island in the St. Lawrence River. |
Ogdensburg, NY – The Fort La Présentation Association and the Great Lakes Seaway Trail have unveiled two new military history theme interpretive panels at the site of Fort de La Présentation in Ogdensburg, NY. One of the themed outdoor Great Lakes Seaway Trail storyteller panels tells some of the history of Fort Lévis that was build on Chimney Island in the St. Lawrence River; the other tells the story of Fort de la Présentation.
New York State Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell joined several New York State 250th French and Indian War Anniversary Commemoration Commission members at the unveiling of one of two Great Lakes Seaway Trail outdoor storyteller interpretive panels during the 2009 Founder’s Day Weekend Celebration in Ogdensburg.
The community-sponsored panels, designed by artist Robert McNamara, draw attention to the host sites and communities along the 518-mile travel and tourism route that is one of America’s Byways and a National Recreation Trail.
The two Ogdensburg panels are among a series of 100 signage units that showcase the interesting facts, legends and lore associated with the historic, natural, and recreational resources; and the people and places significant to the Great Lakes Seaway Trail region that parallels the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes shoreline of New York and Pennsylvania.
Seaway Trail, Inc. President & CEO Teresa Mitchell said, “The Great Lakes Seaway Trail outdoor storytellers panels identifykey places by theme, making it easy for byway travelers to discover the destination points they are most interested all along the driving route with a resulting positive economic impact on host communities Trailwide.”
Russell says, “Enhancing our local tourism sites with interpretive panels explaining our rich history will increase curiosity and lead to more excitement about our region. Getting people excited about exploring the region is one of the best ways to attract them to our destinations and to keep them coming back, generating economic activity in our communities. I applaud the Great Lakes Seaway Trail and the Fort de la Présentation Association for their efforts in generating excitement for the Trail and specifically the rich history of the St. Lawrence Seaway region.”
Fort La Présentation Association President Barbara O’Keefe says, “These Great Lakes Seaway Trail panels are an important addition to the Fort de La Présentation site that will interpret our area’s important role in history. Their placement around the 1899 Abbé Picquet monument, recently returned to Lighthouse Point, make them a highly visible reminder of our place in world history.”
The Federal Highway Administration’s Scenic Byway Program and a Dickinson Grant from the New York State 250th French and Indian War Commemorative Commission provided funding for the interpretive panels project that also includes the recent publication of the Waterways of War Traveler’s Guide to the French and Indian War Forts and Battlefields along America’s Byways in New York and Pennsylvania. The book is available from the Fort La Présentation Association and online at www.seawaytrail.com.
For more information on the Seaway Trail and its on-the-spot outdoor learning units on maritime and military history, natural resources, architecture, agriculture, shipwrecks and lighthouses, visit www.seawaytrail.com or call 315-646-1000. # # #