It's Friday...
And I thought I'd do some blogging about the lovely city I live in. Plattsburgh, New York.
Plattsburgh is situated on beautiful Lake Champlain, about 25 miles south of the Canadian border. Across the lake we can see Vermont and to the west the Adirondack Mountains are a pleasant sight.
Plattsburgh was home to the oldest active military station in the US until the air force base was closed in 1995. It started as an army outpost and then a navy port during the battle of Plattsburgh during the War of 1812. During the 1800's and early 1900's it was home to many different military training groups for WW1 and WW2 as well as Korea and then in the mid-fifties it was commissioned and constructed as an air force base as part of the early warning system of invasion from the Soviet government. With the Viet-nam war and other battles fought, the air force trained and flew hundreds of thousands of missions out of the base.
Now, 11 years later the base is home to many businesses that want the flight line used for commercial travel. A new terminal is being built that will cater to travelers coming and going into the area, being just and hour south of Montreal and an hour from the Olympic Training facility at Lake Placid, it is the hope that both Fed-Ex and UPS as well as the Homeland Security airborne border protection and US Customs (who have planes and helicopters stationed there already) will make the transition from Clinton County Airport to Plattsburgh International Airport.
Existing base housing was updated and sold to residents desiring to live on the quieter side of town, new construction has boomed and new homes were built after the dilapidated housing was torn down and hauled away. An independent living village was built in the early 2000's and a nursing care facility is currently under construction with financing from the local hospital, CVPH (Champlain Valley - Physicians Hospital) Medical Center. I live in one of the former officer's quarters. It is about 3,000 square feet, three floors. Lost of stairs (the military likes stairs). The base hospital was torn down a couple of weeks ago and the hope is that there will 25 acres on which to develop commercial businesses. So far I have heard of a bank and pharmacy coming in, but a nice restaurant would be good too.
We have the makings of a transportation museum and the Battle of Plattsburgh association's museum also. There is a lot of history in the area, from the war. The Battle of Plattsburgh was a very decisive battle for the British and American forces. Out numbered by the British, both in army and navy, the Americans took strategic use of the known landscape and islands in the lake to out maneuver and sink all of the battle ships headed for Ticonderoga. Many British sailors and soldiers are buried around the area, most on Crab Island, a memorial to the action. Bits and pieces from the battle are brought up from the lake's bottom every year, cannon balls, anchors, steering rudders and other metal and treasure is recovered. All these artifacts are the property of the state of New York and many are on display for all to view.
Well so much for the airbase and its illustrious history. Stay tuned for the next edition of "Plattsburgh, my home town”. Jay
Plattsburgh is situated on beautiful Lake Champlain, about 25 miles south of the Canadian border. Across the lake we can see Vermont and to the west the Adirondack Mountains are a pleasant sight.
Plattsburgh was home to the oldest active military station in the US until the air force base was closed in 1995. It started as an army outpost and then a navy port during the battle of Plattsburgh during the War of 1812. During the 1800's and early 1900's it was home to many different military training groups for WW1 and WW2 as well as Korea and then in the mid-fifties it was commissioned and constructed as an air force base as part of the early warning system of invasion from the Soviet government. With the Viet-nam war and other battles fought, the air force trained and flew hundreds of thousands of missions out of the base.
Now, 11 years later the base is home to many businesses that want the flight line used for commercial travel. A new terminal is being built that will cater to travelers coming and going into the area, being just and hour south of Montreal and an hour from the Olympic Training facility at Lake Placid, it is the hope that both Fed-Ex and UPS as well as the Homeland Security airborne border protection and US Customs (who have planes and helicopters stationed there already) will make the transition from Clinton County Airport to Plattsburgh International Airport.
Existing base housing was updated and sold to residents desiring to live on the quieter side of town, new construction has boomed and new homes were built after the dilapidated housing was torn down and hauled away. An independent living village was built in the early 2000's and a nursing care facility is currently under construction with financing from the local hospital, CVPH (Champlain Valley - Physicians Hospital) Medical Center. I live in one of the former officer's quarters. It is about 3,000 square feet, three floors. Lost of stairs (the military likes stairs). The base hospital was torn down a couple of weeks ago and the hope is that there will 25 acres on which to develop commercial businesses. So far I have heard of a bank and pharmacy coming in, but a nice restaurant would be good too.
We have the makings of a transportation museum and the Battle of Plattsburgh association's museum also. There is a lot of history in the area, from the war. The Battle of Plattsburgh was a very decisive battle for the British and American forces. Out numbered by the British, both in army and navy, the Americans took strategic use of the known landscape and islands in the lake to out maneuver and sink all of the battle ships headed for Ticonderoga. Many British sailors and soldiers are buried around the area, most on Crab Island, a memorial to the action. Bits and pieces from the battle are brought up from the lake's bottom every year, cannon balls, anchors, steering rudders and other metal and treasure is recovered. All these artifacts are the property of the state of New York and many are on display for all to view.
Well so much for the airbase and its illustrious history. Stay tuned for the next edition of "Plattsburgh, my home town”. Jay
posted by Rev J Gainer at 7:41 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home