The railroad did not come to the village of Lake George, formerly known as Caldwell, until 1882. So for decades travel to the lakeside village was mainly by stagecoach along the plank road from Glens Falls built in 1848 (now Route 9).
In September 1871, Phineas Taylor Barnum (1810–1891), known more commonly as P. T. Barnum, arrived at Lake George with his circus for a performance. Barnum’s caravan of horse-drawn vehicles also included two stagecoaches, those for the circus boss, his immediate entourage, and for trunks of clothing.
The stages disembarked at the stately Fort William Henry Hotel, located at the south end of the waterway. To acknowledge the important guest, the resort fired a signal cannon. It almost created a disaster.
P.T. Barnum was a Connecticut circus magnate. Amongst his many nicknames were “The Prince of Humbugs” and “The Great American Showman.” In the late summer of 1871, he was touring Upstate New York with his big-top amusements.
His circus extravaganza had recently performed in Utica and Rome. It was reported his entertainment operation was “no small fry.” The traveling hippodrome with all its entertainment features required a work force of 245 people, 270 horses, and wagons full of circus paraphernalia.
When the six-foot-two Barnum stopped at the entrance to Fort William Henry Hotel, the inn’s manager welcomed him with a blast from a signal cannon. Two stagecoaches had just finished unloading when the thundering boom caused one horse team to gallop off.
The runaway stagecoach smashed into a lamp creating some damage. Then the steeds, pulling their hulking carriage, headed past a gazebo into a wooded area where the earthen ruins of Fort William Henry (1755–1757) stood.
In August 1757, following several days of a fierce siege, the British garrison surrendered and was burned by the French and their Indigenous allies. The luxurious hotel, that had opened in 1855, took its name from the former French and Indian War fortification.
The fleeing workhorses stopped when the equine team and empty stagecoach “plunged” into the old fortress’s dry moat, a ravine that went around part of the former military fortress. One of the animals ended up lying in the shallow ditch with the others “standing alongside.” Though frightened, the horses were not injured.
Following the incident, the stagecoach proprietor was reported to have been upset by the incident. Yet, the misadventure was not from any shoddy handling. Rather, it was due to the
loud bang from the brass artillery piece.
Even “out-of-character” and though not performing under the big tent, P.T. Barnum’s operation still put on a show.
Read more about PT Barnum in New York State, or about New York’s circus history.
A version of this article first appeared on the Lake George Mirror, America’s oldest resort paper, covering Lake George and its surrounding environs. You can subscribe to the Mirror HERE.
Illustrations, from above: P.T. Barnum (Library of Congress); and the earthen remains (in the background) of Fort William Henry (Library of Congress).
Source link
