Zarzynski to Speak on “Warships of the French & Indian War”

Lake George, NY – The Lake George Battlefield Park Alliance and the French & Indian War Society at Lake George are hosting Joseph W. Zarzynski, RPA for a presentation entitled “Warships of the French & Indian War: Naval Preludes to the American Revolution” on Thursday, June 25 starting at 7 PM in the Fort William Henry Conference Center, Lake George.

The event is free to the public. Those planning to attend are requested to reserve their seats in advance by registering at the following email address: info@lakegeorgebattlefield.org.

Background Information

Last year marked the beginning of the 250^th anniversary of the American Revolution (1775– 1783). However, the French & Indian War (known in Europe as the “Seven Years’ War”) witnessed significant events in North America and the high seas that influenced how warfare was contested in the Revolutionary War.

Mr. Zarzynski, a retired maritime archaeologist, will examine British and French warships during the French & Indian War (1755–1763), with an emphasis on Lake George. The talk will review how French & Indian War battle crafts were precursors to some waterborne activities during the War of Independence. He will also show and talk about several hull-structure artifacts from the collection of the Fort William Henry Museum and the significance of that material culture.

Mr. Zarzynski participated in many underwater archaeology projects in Lake George, as well as at Narragansett Bay, Massachusetts, Florida, Lake Champlain, and Otsego Lake. He is the author of eight books including Ghost Fleet Awakened–Lake George’s Sunken Bateaux of 1758 and Fort William Henry’s Moments in Time. Mr. Zarzynski is a board member of the French & Indian War Society at Lake George, an advisor to the Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project, and member of the Lake George Battlefield Park Alliance.

Mr. Zarzynski’s books will be available for purchase and author signature at the presentation.

“The program will briefly provide background on warship design through the centuries into the mid-1700s, and then focus on battle craft that plied Lake George during the French & Indian War,” says Zarzynski. “Moreover, the talk will review the results of archaeological studies of warships on the bottomlands of the lake.”

Russell P. Bellico, author of Empires in the Mountains: French and Indian War Campaigns and Forts in the Lake Champlain, Lake George, and Hudson River Corridor and four other books on the two lakes, notes, “Joseph W. Zarzynski has reshaped the maritime history of Lake George through his efforts to discover and preserve the shipwrecks of the lake. He organized and directed the archaeological study of the 1758 radeau Land Tortoise, the oldest intact shipwreck in North America, and successfully managed the nomination of the vessel as a National Historic Landmark.”

Bellico, a founding Trustee of the Lake George Battlefield Park Alliance, continues: “Zarzynski was instrumental in the creation of the first Submerged Heritage Preserves in New York State through the DEC, which included the Land Tortoise. He has been prolific in his efforts to educate the public about the maritime heritage of Lake George, including publishing the Lake George Nautical Newsletter, producing award--winning documentary films, writing columns for the Lake George Mirror, and authoring numerous books.”

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About the Lake George Battlefield Park Alliance: The Lake George Battlefield Park Alliance is a not-for-profit organization of volunteers who have an abiding interest in the Lake George Region’s critical role in the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. The Alliance manages the Battlefield Park’s Visitor Center and sponsors events throughout the year that educate the public about the site and its unique history. It is also the steward for the Battlefield Park’s iconic memorials, including the recently dedicated “Repose of the Fallen” reburial site of 44 Continental Army personnel who perished at Lake George in 1776, and three refurbished bronze sculptures that depict important moments of the region’s history. For more information, visit www.lakegeorgebattlefield.org.

About the French & Indian War Society at Lake George: The French & Indian War Society at Lake George was founded with the mission of educating the public about the French & Indian War (1754–1763) and to foster appreciation for Lake George, Lake Champlain and the Hudson River and their roles in American history. The group was chartered under the New York State

Regents in May 2018 and is operated by a volunteer board of trustees comprised of historians, archaeologists, and enthusiasts. Members of the Society visit schools to teach students in grades four, seven and 11 about the historical significance of the area. The Society also encourages archaeological research and the preservation of early material culture for the benefit of the local community and visitors. For more information: https://www.frenchandindianwarsociety.org.