This Thursday Night Speaker Series, sponsored by the Fort Montgomery Battle Site Association, is seating by reservation only and is limited to the first 50 requests. You may reserve seats by calling 845-446-2134. Please leave your name, phone number, and number of people in your party.

Fort Montgomery is located at 690 Route 9W, one quarter mile north of the Bear Mountain Bridge. Call 845-446-2134 for more information.

Indians in the Ramapos
April 7 at 7 PM
Archaeologist Ed Lenik sifts through the layered evidence of human history in the Ramapo Mountains region to detect patterns that bear witness to the Native American presence there. Using archaeology, historical accounts, and oral tradition, Lenik develops a story that testifies to their presence, persistence, and survival.

From Mahicantuck to the Millenium:
400 Years of Hudson River Natural History
April 28th at 7 PM
Recently, the Hudson Valley celebrated the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s sail up the river that now bears his name. DEC Education Coordinator Steve Stanne will discuss the ecosystem that Hudson saw, it’s alterations since 1609, its biological richness today, and the challenges it faces in the future.

Claudius Smith: Revolutionary Rogue or Robin Hood?
May 19th at 7 PM
Due to demand “the Scourge of the Ramapos” is back! Author Patricia Edwards Clyne will present once more the harrowing tale of Claudius Smith, hailed by some as a champion of charity during the American Revolution, but eventually hanged as a thief and a profiteer. Come to your own verdict after this popular lecture. Book sale and signing to follow lecture.

Sterling Gardens
June 16th at 7 PM
Acclaimed educator and local historian Doc Bayne will present the little known tale of the Sterling Gardens, the world class botantical establishment that once thrived in Sterling Forest. Doc will chart the start of the gardens in 1960 and the changes it had to undergo to hold the public’s interest.

So Many Brave Men:
A History of the Battle at Minisink Ford
July 21st at 7 PM
For the first time in years a new history has been written about the only Revolutionary War battle to take place in the Upper Delaware River valley. Many participants of the Battle at Minisink Ford were veterans of the fight here at Fort Montgomery. This presentation by author Peter Osborne explores the history of the battle and the effect it had on the lives of the settlers who lived in the valley.

The Highland Adventures of William T. Howell
August 11 at 7 PM
Perhaps no one loved the Hudson Highlands as much as William T. Howell. Born in Newburgh in 1873, Howell tramped through the region one hundred years ago and witnessed improvements such as Route 9W and Bear Mountain State Park. Today his massive collection of photos and commentary, provided via a slide lecture by Lynette Scherer, offers the modern lover of the Highlands an interesting peek into life in the lower Hudson valley at the turn of the last century.

Sober, Industrious Women:
Wives of British Soldiers in America
September 29th at 7 PM
More than ten percent of the British Soldiers who fought in the American Revolution brought their wives and families with them to America. As nurses, laundresses, and sutlers the wives shared in the hardships and adventures of an army on service far from home. Historian Don Hagist will present an overview of the roles and experiences of British army wives in America.