NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The North Adams Historical Society will once again honor the 1746 Siege of Fort Massachusetts on Sunday, Aug. 19. The ceremony, which will take place in Western Gateway Heritage State Park at 2 p.m., marks the 272nd anniversary of the event.

 

The commemoration also marks the 271st anniversary of the rebuilding of Fort Massachusetts. Wendy Champney and her group Save Fort Massachusetts Memorial have fought long and hard to preserve the land that the original fort stood upon, and in past years have stressed the importance of celebrating and preserving these historic events and landmarks.

 

The ceremony will remember August 19-20, 1746, when about 1,000 French and Indian soldiers took over the fort, which lies in what is now North Adams. While Fort Massachusetts was abandoned after the French and Indian War, the a local historical society began to search for funds in 1895 for a memorial site, which was completed and dedicated in 1933 for the Fort Massachusetts chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

 

The replica fort was turned into a restaurant and demolished many years ago but the stone fireplace and a marker remain at the site off State Road. The plot of land was donated to the city last year by Price Chopper Corp., which had helped maintain. 

 

Members of the Historical Society who will play a role in the ceremony include Gene Carlson, Charles Cahoon, and Justyna Carlson, who serve as the NAHS treasurer, president, and secretary, respectively. Gene Carlson will be the master of ceremonies, while Cahoon and Justyna Carlson will speak. 

 

Wendy Champney, the author of "The Forgotten Ledge of Fort Massachusetts" who is a teacher and historian in the Berkshires, will also speak in the ceremony. Chapman is the secretary of the North Adams Historical Commission and for many years has promoted Fort Massachusetts.

 

Additional speakers include retired teacher Fran Flaherty and Department of Conservation and Recreation ranger Robert Campanile. Campanile played a large role in the opening of the North Adams Museum of History and Science 17 years ago as the designer of its barracks room. He also was a lecturer at the American Museum of Natural History in New York and is the author of two books: "Mohawk Trail" and "North Adams." 

 

Participants will meet in Building 5A of the Museum of History and Science on the third floor, which houses Campanile’s replica of Fort Massachusetts’ barracks. As usual, the event is free to the public.