Valcour Bay
Why it's listed
Valcour Bay is the stretch of Lake Champlain between Valcour Island and the western shore, about four miles south of Plattsburgh, New York. On October 11, 1776, Benedict Arnold anchored a hastily built American fleet in this narrow channel to resist a larger British force under Sir Guy Carleton. The British sailed past the island and attacked; by day's end every American ship was damaged, several were lost, and the survivors slipped away through darkness and fog. Arnold lost most of his fleet over the next two days. The battle mattered because the American flotilla existed at all. Carleton had to delay his invasion while building up his own naval strength, then judged the season too late to continue and withdrew to Canada. The Americans used the extra year to prepare and won at Saratoga. The island is wooded and largely state forest, and the bay remains little changed. About 1,200 acres are included.
Significance in brief: Benedict Arnold's improvised American fleet fought a British fleet here under Sir Guy Carleton. Although the Americans were defeated, their presence forced the British to delay their invasion of northern New York. The delay gave the Americans time to prepare and to repulse the invasion at Saratoga the next year.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 66000508, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 7 mi. S of Plattsburgh on the W shore of Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh |
|---|---|
| County | Clinton County |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000508 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | October 11, 1776 |
| Areas of significance | Military |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated January 1, 1961 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition, with the island and bay having suffered little loss of integrity. The Valcour lighthouse on Bluff Point is the only major visual intrusion, and a small state monument marks the mainland shore. |
| Acreage | 1200 |
| Coordinates | 44.62231, -73.43912 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 66000508.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q931949
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.