Fort Ticonderoga has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation to begin developing a plan to restore the Pavilion, Beth Hill, the Fort’s president and CEO announced at a benefit for the King’s Garden on July 14.

The funds will be used to retain John G. Waite, a Historic Preservation Architect, to conduct a Historic Structures Report and Interior Study on the Pavilion, which was built in 1826 by William Ferris Pell as a summer home.

“The walls of the Pavilion are telling us its story, and we have the rare opportunity to be witnesses as it unfolds,” said Hill.

The King's Garden at the Pavilion

Waite’s findings, as well as further studies, will inform Fort Ticonderoga’s Comprehensive Plan, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2013.

According to Hill, the Pavilion will not only be restored, but adapted for new uses.

From the 1840s until 1900, the Pavilion was operated as a hotel, said Hill.

“The King’s Garden and the Pavilion are a part of our history,” she said. “As one of the earliest summer homes and hotels in the region, the Pavilion is considered one of the most important historic structures in the Adirondacks. The Pavilion is a critical link spanning nearly two centuries of Fort Ticonderoga’s history encompassing the stories of landmark preservation, the birth of American tourism, and monumental restoration.”

Once the Pavilion is restored, it will not function merely as a historic house, but serve a variety of purposes, including, possibly, dining and lodging, Hill said.

“Stay tuned,” Hill told the crowd gathered at the King’s Garden benefit.

Fort Ticonderoga is currently offering Exploration Tours of the Pavilion every Tuesday in July and August.

“The tour engages our guests in the exciting process of history and historic preservation,” said Hill.

Tickets are $35 per person for the 1 1/2 hour tour. Space is limited, so advance reservations are required. For more information, call 518-585-2821.