WHITEHALL’S NAVAL HERITAGE WEEKEND / ARNOLD’S NAVY
Friday, Oct. 2nd & Saturday, Oct. 3rd
EVENT OVERVIEW
Whitehall’s Naval Heritage Weekend is a multi-faceted historical experience combining expert-led tours, nationally recognized speakers, family-friendly programming, and community celebration. Through immersive storytelling and festivities, the weekend brings to life the events surrounding the Battle of Valcour Bay and their lasting impact on American history.
As a recognized Birthplace of the Continental Navy, Whitehall played a pivotal role in shaping America’s early naval power. The weekend highlights the community’s shipbuilding legacy and Benedict Arnold’s fleet, connecting visitors to the origins of the U.S. Navy and Whitehall’s enduring contribution to our nation’s maritime history.
ARNOLD’S NAVY
October 2–3, 2026 | Whitehall, New York
Join historians, scholars, and the community for a two-day commemoration of one of the most consequential naval campaigns of the American Revolution. Whitehall’s Naval Heritage Weekend honors the 250th anniversary of Benedict Arnold’s northern naval campaign and celebrates Whitehall’s legacy as the birthplace of the Continental Navy.
Friday, October 2
VALCOUR BAY HERITAGE TOUR
Curated by Dr. Bruce Venter, Chris Sabick, and Jim Nelson
Step into history with a guided heritage tour tracing the waterways navigated by Benedict Arnold and his fleet during the 1776 campaign.
Tour Experience
- 9 a.m. – Motorcoach departs from The Whitehall Castle (Whitehall Armony) located at 62 Poultney St., Whitehall, NY. Guests welcome to park here.
- Lunch at the Basin Harbor Resort
- Boat excursion following Arnold’s documented retreat route to Button Bay
- Expert interpretation by Dr. Bruce Venter, Chris Sabick and Jim Nelson throughout the day
Tour Leaders
- Dr. Bruce Venter, President of America’s History LLC, author of The Battle of Hubbardton: The Rear-Guard Action that Saved America, and commissioner on the Saratoga County 250th Commission
- Chris Sabick, Executive Director, Lake Champlain Maritime Museum and renowned nautical archaeologist
- Jim Nelson, maritime historian and author of Benedict Arnold’s Navy
Tour Details
- Limited to 43 guests
- $195 per person
- Tickets available at: americashistoryllc.com
- Tour inquiries: info@AmericasHistoryLLC.com
Or call: 703-785-4373 - Guests return to Whitehall between 4pm – 5pm and are invited to a reception (along with the general public) at American Legion Post #83, 148 Main Street, Whitehall.
FRIDAY EVENING GATHERING & SPEAKER SERIES
The Friday night evening gathering and speaker series will be held at:
American Legion Post #89, 148 Main Street, Whitehall
Admission is free. Tour guests and members of the public are invited to enjoy refreshments and historical talks by:
Bob Mowatt
President, Whitehall Historical Society
Executive Director, Skenesborough Museum
Bob Mowatt will speak about the History of Skenesborough and its evolution to Whitehall
Pat Niles
Washington County 250th Committee Co-chair
Past President of the Washington County Historical Society
Board Member of the Lake George Battlefield Alliance
Licensed Guide for the Saratoga Battlefield
Pat Niles will speak about Benedict Arnold’s time spent in the north country and the impact on the American Revolution
Saturday, October 3
MORNING SPEAKER SERIES
Nationally Recognized Historians & Authors
A distinguished panel of historians and authors will explore Benedict Arnold, the northern campaign, and the Battle of Valcour Bay. The Saturday morning speaker series will take place at:
Whitehall Volunteer Fire Company
161 Main Street, Whitehall, NY 12887
Featured Speakers
Speakers are listed alphabetically. Presentation order and schedule will be released later.
Admission is free.
Jack Kelly
Award-winning historian and author of God Save Benedict Arnold: The True Story of America’s Most Hated Man (2023) and Valcour: The 1776 Campaign That Saved the Cause of Liberty (2021). Praised by Kirkus Reviews and The Wall Street Journal for vivid, novelistic storytelling of Revolutionary War naval combat from a fresh perspective.
Charles P. Neimeyer, PHD
Charles P. Neimeyer, PHD, served 20 years as a U.S. Marine Corps military officer. he served in all three Marine Corps divisions to include service as a strategic plans officer at Headquarters, Marine Corps; on the military staff at the White House for Presidents George H. W. Bush and William J. Clinton; and as an instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy and Naval War College. After retiring from active service in 1996, he returned to the Naval War College in 1997 as a professor of national security affairs. In 2006 he became the Director and Chief of Marine Corps History, Quantico, Virginia. He remained in that capacity until his retirement from civilian federal service in January of 2018. Upon completion of federal service, he received the Department of the Navy’s Distinguished Civilian Service Award and the Marine Corps University Foundation Chapman Medallion. His talk will focus on the 1776 Battle of Valcour Island and its impact on the American Revolution.
Jim Nelson
A former professional mariner, now a maritime historian and author of more than 30 works of fiction and nonfiction, including Benedict Arnold’s Navy: The Ragtag Fleet That Lost the Battle of Lake Champlain but Won the American Revolution. This book details the shipbuilding efforts at Skenesborough (modern-day Whitehall) and the naval campaign that shaped the course of the war in the North.
Chris Sabick
A nautical archaeologist who has devoted his career to uncovering and preserving the hidden stories of America’s maritime past. He has led groundbreaking research on Revolutionary War shipwrecks including the gunboat Spitfire and Arnold’s flagship, the row galley Congress. Prior to being appointed Executive Director of the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, he was the Director of Research and Archaeology.
Joseph W. Zarzynski
A maritime archaeologist, a Fellow in the Royal Geographical Society, and an author of Ghost Fleet Awakened: Lake George’s Sunken Bateaux of 1758 (SUNY Press, 2019), a book about the historical significance of a sunken French & Indian War fleet. His fieldwork with Bateaux Below, an underwater archaeology team, was instrumental in the discovery and historic preservation of the 1758 Land Tortoise radeau, described by historian Dr. Russell P. Bellico as “North America’s oldest intact warship.” As co-founder of Bateaux Below, Zarzynski’s team spent years studying shipwrecks in Lake George. He is author of eight books, including Fort William Henry’s Moments in Time (High Peaks Publishing, 2023). His presentation, “Repurposing Historic Wood: When Relic Hunters Took Wood from the Royal Savage Shipwreck and Other Nearby Heritage Sites,” explores the late 19th- and early 20th-century practice of salvaging timbers from Revolutionary War sites—such as Benedict Arnold’s Royal Savage schooner and the Great Floating Bridge at Ticonderoga. Mr. Zarzynski’s talk will likewise examine the cultural motivations for repurposing historic wood and how that practice fortunately ended.
SATURDAY BBQ & COMMUNITY GATHERING
Following the speaker series, a community BBQ will be held at:
American Legion Post #89
148 Main Street, Whitehall
- Open to the public
- There will be a choice of chicken, hamburgers or hot dogs with side dishes.
- Price $15 per person on the door/first come first served
- Guests may attend the lectures, the BBQ, or both
SATURDAY AFTERNOON CELEBRATION
History Comes Alive in Whitehall
Saturday afternoon transforms Whitehall into a vibrant, family-friendly celebration featuring:
- Live music and entertainment
- Color guard presentation
- Formal awards ceremony
- Interactive education and historical interpretation
- Quilt exhibit in the Town/Village of Whitehall Office
- Skene Manor and Skenesborough Museum will be open
- The Whitehall Castle (former armory) will be open for tours (10 am – 2 pm)
- Community showcases and activities for all ages, including:
It’s Revolutionary,” a kid’s program on stories, songs, and games from the Revolutionary War. Sisters Debi Craig and Dorothea Craig Casey will present a program in which children will learn about the Boston Tea Party, Henry Knox’s Noble Train of Artillery, Colonial children’s games, and more!
The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum will bring immersive and interactive activities, including its interactive “Giant Lake Champlain Map” for attendees to interact with the geography and history of the region. The museum will also host hands-on ship construction experiences to introduce traditional wooden boatbuilding techniques. These activities are designed to teach teamwork, problem-solving, craftsmanship, and maritime engineering concepts.
The remarkable historical dioramas of educator and historian Cindy Whitman. Known throughout the region for her “Toying With History” exhibits, Whitman creates detailed miniature scenes depicting historical moments using handcrafted scenery, repurposed figures, and carefully researched details. Her displays captivate both children and adults while making history visual, interactive, and accessible. Whitman will unveil a special exhibit depicting Skenesborough, bringing to life the people, activity, and atmosphere of the community during its important role in early American history. Whitman’s educational exhibits have appeared at museums, libraries, and heritage events across eastern New York and Vermont.
THE STRATEGIC IMPACT OF THE BATTLE OF VALCOUR
Although Benedict Arnold’s fleet was largely destroyed, the Battle of Valcour Bay delayed the British advance from Canada and prevented them from reaching Albany before the winter of 1776.
This crucial delay allowed the Continental Army to regroup and prepare, directly contributing to the American victory at Saratoga the following year.
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