EOP - Summer 2025: History of Lake George

Lake George, nestled in the southeastern Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, has a rich history shaped by Indigenous culture, European exploration, military conflict, and tourism. Originally inhabited by the Mohawk and Abenaki peoples, who called it Andia-ta-roc-te (“lake that shuts itself in”), it was later renamed Lac du Saint Sacrement by Jesuit missionary Isaac Jogues in 1646, and then Lake George by British General William Johnson in 1755 to honor King George II. The lake played a strategic role during the French and Indian War—site of the 1755 Battle of Lake George and home to Fort William Henry and Fort Carillon (now Fort Ticonderoga)—and was used again during the American Revolution for troop movements. By the 19th century, it had become a popular summer destination for wealthy Americans, with steamboats like the Minne-Ha-Ha ferrying visitors across its clear waters, famously praised by Thomas Jefferson in 1791. In the 20th century, Lake George earned the title "Queen of American Lakes" and continues to thrive as a hub of recreation and history, with growing efforts to preserve its natural beauty and cultural legacy.