Post and Photos by Julie Stokes
Yesterday, my husband and I took our Denver daughter and 9 year old grandson to visit the Saratoga Surrender Site. This has been a long term project for us. Bob is on the Board of the Friends of the Saratoga Battlefield which raised funds to construct the site. Dylan visited the site when it was under construction and he and his grandpa re-enacted General Burgoyne’s surrender of his sword to General Gates.
There is room for kids to run and to see the views. The Site is directly adjacent to the Canalway/Empire State Trail. Across State Route 4 is a section of the trail which the Town of Saratoga cleared and laid down crushed stone – the Surrender March Trail. The trail is about a mile and leads through a lovely wetland with a Heron rookery to the east. There is parking at both ends along with picnic tables.
We also checked out the Marshall House. It is a private home but can be seen by appointment and a donation is expected. It is where the German General’s wife and children sheltered during the siege in October of 1777. The owner let Dylan hold a canon ball that was shot from over a mile away and came through the wall of the home.
We finished our trip w great sandwiches at the Revolutionary Cafe on Rt 29 – just 2 blocks from the main intersection.
This March National Parks Traveller published a feature about the Saratoga Surrender Site
