North Country Live Summer Programs at NCCC Ticonderoga Campus

Free & Open to the Public

Thursday, July 11th, 7 pm -- "Dead Trees Will Show You the Way: Echos from the Underground Railroad"  with Tom McGrath

Long cloaked in mystery and folklore, the covert workings of the Underground Railroad are starting to become clearer. Come hear the harrowing tales of fugitive slaves in their desperate attempts to obtain freedom by fleeing northward. Special attention will be given to the activity in the Adirondacks and the unsung heroes who aided these people on their journey.

Thursday, July 18th, 7 pm -- "The Farmer and the Sailor: The Real Story of John Brown, Richard Henry Dana and an Adirondack Meeting" with Pete Nelson

One of the most famous Adirondack tales is adventurer Richard Henry Dana’s story of his 1849 encounter with frontier farmer John Brown, who Dana only realized years later to be the famous martyr of Harper’s Ferry. Dana’s account, published more than twenty years after the meeting, is filled with drama and surprise, but at the cost of accuracy – the actual events have significant differences. Dana and Brown were both abolitionists, with their most important contributions to justice and civil rights ahead of them. Come learn the real story of their encounter and the larger Adirondack context in which these two remarkable men crossed paths.

Thursday, July 25th, 7 pm -- "The Tank is Filled with Hundred-Proof: Stories of Bootlegging in the Adirondacks" with Tom McGrath

In 1920, it became illegal to make, sell, or transport alcoholic beverages.  The backlash to Prohibition quickly evolved into a world of bootlegging, speakeasies, and often all-out war with police officials.  Due to its proximity to Canada, the Adirondacks became a hotbed of illicit activity.  The presentation will highlight some of the people, places, and stories of the region during this captivating time! 

Thursday, August 1st, 7 pm -- "Turning Point: The Remarkable Story of the Battle of Plattsburgh"  with Pete Nelson

The War of 1812 is little remembered save for the burning of Washington DC and the penning of the National Anthem. Few know how close the United States came to destruction – not from the Chesapeake, but from Canada. On September 11, 1814, the largest enemy invasion force in US history, whose battle-hardened troops outnumbered ragtag American defenders more than three-to-one, began an attack at Plattsburgh that, if successful, would have ended the Republic as we know it. But for the remarkable strategies employed by two young commanders, the British would have undoubtedly won. Come hear the incredible story of the Battle of Plattsburgh, where the planting of trees and the turning of ships saved the nation.