MVLS I Spy Oral History Interviews

Fort Plain Museum, Fort Plain, NY
Audio excerpts | Current photo | Historic photo

Interviewer: Mary Skivington
Speaker: Glenadore Wetterau

Background: Glenadore Wetterau is a trustee of the Fort Plain Museum.

Wetterau: The Fort Plain Museum is one of the most historic sites in Fort Plain. It was established to perpetuate the Revolutionary War fort which unfortunately was taken down after the war was over.

It's very special to the community because it commemorates one of the earliest events which took place in Fort Plain.

The most important event that happened in Fort Plain…was the fact that the local militia and the people established a small fort for their own protection and then by 1780, the fort was taken over as the headquarters of the western defense. It was commandeered by the federal government and George Washington ordered an outlying blockhouse built and made a strong defense of it which was quite different from the ten surrounding stockaded or stone houses.

(Lipe House) When it was a canal town up to World War I, it was a big trading center and it was important because the canal ran right in front of this Lipe House.

This particular Lipe House was built in 1848 to replace Mr. David Lipe's previous residence which we believe was the old wooden house that is behind the house we have now and are trying to rebuild….When he became a wealthy trader, he built this handsome limestone house as, I think, a showplace for his wealth.

[The last of the Lipe heirs] were willing to sell….The interest was at the time to rebuild the fort and try to promote a tourist business for Fort Plain….It is important because many visitors come looking for the site where their ancestors served during the Revolution.

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