Fort Plans Great Week for America’s 250th

SCHOHARIE — The Old Stone Fort’s Clay Edmunds has been working on a variety of projects for the Fort in anticipation of the July 4th holiday. Edmunds said that Schoharie’s 250th “really begins in 1777 with the Battle of the Flockey.” He cited the planned reenactment of the Battle next August. The Fort is holding a quilt fundraiser to help support.

He described the upcoming reenactment of the Battle of the Flockey, which will happen Aug. 2027. The “Revolutionary War came to Schoharie Aug. 13, 1777,” he said. The event was the first cavalry charge of what would become the U.S. Army. He said that this is “another claim to fame” for local history.

The battle was significant in part because it sparked the fortification of the Schoharie Reformed Church, transforming it to the Old Stone Fort. Several other private residences were fortified alongside the Schoharie site to create the Upper, Lower, and Middle Forts in the Schoharie Valley.

The battle was an American victory between loyalists, Natives, and patriots. Col. John Harper led the Schoharie Militia and the 2nd Continental Light Tragoons against Capt. John McDonell, Capt. George Mann, and Adam Crysler alongside Mohawk allies. The fight at the Crysler farm was in a swampy area known as "die Flache," or later the Flockey. 

The battle took place as part of the wider campaign by the British to split the colonies in half through New York, including the Mohawk, Hudson, and Lake Champlain Valleys. The battle took place after Harper aided Fort Defiance in Middleburgh. 

The victory was a portion of the wider campaign that peaked at Saratoga in the same year, which included Middleburgh's Timothy Murphy killing British Gen. Simon Fraser, which threw the British into confusion, helping to lead to an American victory. The win at Saratoga would play a pivotal role in convincing France to aid the colonies in their quest for independence.

Edmunds and several volunteers from the Old Stone Fort met with Don Rittner from the Albany250 organization to work together. The Albany group will be marking the Battle of Normanskill the same month.

There will likely be another reenactment to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Cobleskill in 2028. Following the battle, many Cobleskill-area residents took refuge in the three forts, including the Old Stone Fort. The residents built huts within the stockade of the Fort.

The events are done in conjunction with other efforts of local groups, including the Revolution250 group in Schoharie County, the Schoharie DAR, and others. Schoharie County has committed to helping with the different events and commemorations of the anniversary of the American War of Independence. 

This year, between June 28 and July 4 is “Pay What You Wish Week” with a number of events, including a fort-building competition on History Day, and local history Trivia. He and Historical Society Board President Chris Baron are working on questions.

“Some of them are easy, some of them are hard,” he said. It will include questions about each town in Schoharie.

The Fort collected recycled cans and bottles for the fort-building competition.

“How will you build your fort?” he asked. The idea is to bring in re-used material to spark creativity and decision-making, encouraging people to make a fort in their own way.

Part of the goal is to get kids to make decisions based on what aspects toward fort design would work best for them.

Similar to a flag-building exercise, Edmunds said that the fort-building activity will show “how you represent yourself.” He added that the flag-building activity can help to explain what different colors on flags may represent.

Hometown History Day will take place Sunday June 28. The museum will open at 10, with the Fort Building Competition taking place between 10-5pm. There will be guided tours at 10am, 12pm, and 2pm. The day will end with local history trivia at 5:30pm.

On Monday, June 29 will be Stars, Stripes, and Civics day, with the museum open from 10pm to 4pm. There will be craft stations all day, with militia training at 11am and 2pm.

On Tuesday June 30, there will be the Eagle Lecture and Paint Social with the Museum open from 10am to 4pm. The Eagle Presentation by Bill Combs, Jr. 10:30am and the patriotic painting social at 5:30 pm. 

Wednesday, July 1st will see the Fort open from 10am to 4pm, with the Touch-a-Truck event during the open hours.

July 2nd will include “Spies of the Revolution,” including Edmund’s research about how spies were utilized on both sides of the Revolutionary War. This includes the use of letters folded and hidden in feather quills and invisible ink. He also cited the use of secret code, such as in the Culper Spy Ring in the Revolution and masked letters. Masked letters are utilized using letters with parts cut out to reveal the message. He said that these are also great activities for children to take part in. Spy programs will take place at 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, and 2:00 PM. There will be guided tours at 10am and 12pm and the Remember the Ladies Tea at Lasell Hall at 2pm.

Saturday, July 4th will be Declaring Independence at the Fort, including a full day of living history programs and patriotic activities. The museum will be open from 10am-5pm with craft stations all day. The flag raising will take place at 10am. There will be militia training at 10am and 12:30 and readings of the Declaration of Independence at 11am and 2:30. At 3:30 will be tavern toasts following the second reading.

He added that he’s been organizing the events along with the entire Fort team in anticipation of the 250th. Edmunds has been working with Kristen Edwards, Chris Baron, Curator Dan Beams, Director Mary Johnson, and others.

Kids games are the latest series being worked on.

Edmunds said that he is looking forward to the chance to “get a lot of people interested in history,” specifically about Schoharie County and the Fort.

He said that this is an “opportunity to reach out to a lot of people.”

Edmunds added that being able to be part of preserving and growing the Fort’s history is important.

“It’s such a staple for Schoharie County,” where he grew up.

“It’s great.”