Lake George

Lake George is a long narrow lake at the base of the Adirondack Mountains northern New York. The lake extends about 52 kilometers on a north-south axis and varies for 1.5 to 5 km in width. It drains into Lake Champlain to its north through a short stream with many falls and rapids, dropping about 50 meters in its 4 km course. The village of Lake George is located on its shore.

History

The first European visitor to the area, Samuel de Champlain, noted the lake his journal on July 3, 1609, but never named it. In 1646 the missionary Isaac Jogues named it Lac du Saint-Sacrement, and the exit stream as the river La Chute.

On August 28, 1755) Sir William Johnson led British colonial forces to occupy the area in the French and Indian War. He renamed the lake as Lake George for King George and a protecting fortifications at its southern end. The fort was named for the king's son as Fort William Henry. In September, the French responded by beginning construction of Fort Carillon (Fort Ticonderoga) on a point where La Chute enters Lake Champlain.