- Plattsburgh
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/plats"berrg/, n.a city in NE New York, on Lake Champlain: battle, 1814. 21,057.
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City (pop., 2000: 18,816), northeastern New York, U.S. Situated on the western shore of Lake Champlain, south of the Canadian border, Plattsburgh was founded by Zephaniah Platt in 1784.It was the scene of an important U.S. victory during the War of 1812 on Lake Champlain that saved New York from British invasion via the Hudson River valley. Incorporated as a city in 1902, it became the centre of the Lake Champlain resort area.* * *
historically Plattsburgcity, seat (1788) of Clinton county, northeastern New York, U.S., on the west shore of Lake Champlain (Champlain, Lake), at the mouth of the Saranac River, 60 miles (97 km) south of Montreal, Canada. It was founded by Zephaniah Platt in 1784. During the War of 1812 (1812, War of), it was the scene of an important U.S. victory on Lake Champlain that saved New York from possible British invasion via the Hudson River valley. A British army of some 14,000 troops under Sir George Prevost (Prevost, Sir George, 1st Baronet) reached Plattsburg in a joint land and sea operation. U.S. defenders included 1,500 regulars and about 2,500 militia commanded by General Alexander Macomb, supported by a 14-ship U.S. naval squadron under Commodore Thomas Macdonough (Macdonough, Thomas). The outcome of the battle was determined on water when the British fleet was decisively defeated on September 11, 1814. Deprived of naval support, the invading army was forced to retreat. The victory at Plattsburg influenced the terms of peace drawn at the Treaty of Ghent (Ghent, Treaty of) the following December. The Macdonough Memorial commemorating the battle is in front of the city hall. The Kent-Delord House (1797) served successively as British and American headquarters and is maintained as a museum.Abundant waterpower influenced the development of lumber and paper mills. Today Plattsburgh's industries produce paper products (including wallpaper), toys, lighting fixtures, passenger rail cars, and plastics, and the city is a base for the Lake Champlain resort area. The State University of New York College at Plattsburgh (established as a normal [teachers'] school, 1889) and Clinton Community College (1966) of the State University of New York (New York, State University of (SUNY)) system are additional economic factors. Recognized as a village in 1785, it was incorporated as a city in 1902. Pop. (1990) 21,255; (2000) 18,816.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
