For over 150 years, Lake George has been an Adirondack vacation destination, famous for its natural beauty and tranquility. From the mid-19th century until the 1980’s, Baldwin Landing (or as it came to be known – Baldwin Dock) in Ticonderoga served as a northern terminal for the Lake George Steamboat Company, which transported countless tourists up and down the lake for the incredible views, connection to Lake Champlain, and to deliver them to lavish hotels such as the Sagamore, Bolton House, and Fort William Henry Hotel.
Up until 1863, Baldwin Dock was known as Coates Landing, named for James Coates, the largest garment maker in Europe, who opened a tailor shop on the landing after the American Revolution. In 1863, the landing was purchased by the Lake George Steamboat Company and renamed Baldwin Landing after William Baldwin, who operated a stagecoach business here, carrying passengers from Lake George to Ticonderoga and Lake Champlain.
In 1875, word continued to spread of Lake George’s beauty and it became a very popular summer vacation destination for the wealthy, prompting the Delaware and Hudson Railroad to build a connection between Lake George and Lake Champlain. However, as early as 1824, the Lake George Steamboat Company’s The Mountaineer, a 100-foot wooden steamboat was making two trips a week to Ticonderoga from Lake George NY. In 1838, the William Caldwell was making daily trips from Lake George to Baldwin Dock, where it would wait while its passengers were driven to Fort Ticonderoga and back again in stagecoaches. By the 1870’s, there were two steamboats making daily trips for passengers and goods to Baldwin Dock.
During the Great Depression, steamboat traffic declined significantly, and activity at Baldwin Dock was sparse and remained so throughout 
the World War II. After the war, tourism in the area picked backup and Baldwin Dock remained a port for the Lake George Steamboat Company throughout the 1980’s before closing down to the public. Several steamboats were built at Baldwin Dock in Ticonderoga and to this day, the ships are dry-docked there for routine service and maintenance.
Today, Baldwin Dock continues to serve passengers, albeit on a limited basis, with the venerable Mohican making a weekly stop at the Landing on Wednesdays. Recently, the face of the steamer Landing and the North Island has been updated and improved. “Over the last two summers we have rehabilitated entire face of the steamer Landing as well as the North Island”, says Luke Dow of the Lake George Steamboat Company. “We’ve also installed gazebos on both the North and South Islands of the landing so folks can enjoy a nice afternoon there.”
If you grew up in Ticonderoga, you probably have wonderful memories of waving at the passing steamboats, or buying penny candy and boat gas at Sadie’s store that was nestled on the shore adjacent to the dock. Though these activities are part of our collective past, they remain a source of great memories for visitors, passengers, and the people who have always called Ticonderoga home. Ticonderoga, “the land between two waters,” continues to this day, to draw visitors to the region with its history and unique proximity to two of the most beautiful lakes in the country.
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