The Peru Gazette

Will Fund museum repairs and America250’s Signature Event 

Plattsburgh, March 31, 2026 – The Clinton County Historical Association is pleased to announce the receipt of $50,500 in grant monies through two 2026 Local Heritage Grants from the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership.  

The first grant for $10,500 is to replace three windows at the Clinton County Historical Association at 98 Ohio Avenue.  The Association is committed to keeping its 121-year-old building comfortable for visitors and energy efficient and secure for housing exhibits and the County’s artifacts.  Window replacement is an ongoing requirement, and grants have been used over the years to replace 21 windows to date.

The second grant for $40,000 is to fund the county’s three-day Signature event from October 9-11, 2026, which will culminate the area’s two yearlong America250 celebration with free events for students and the public and concluding the weekend with a reenactment of the Battle of Valcour Island. Additionally, events will be filmed for posterity. Friday and Saturday events are focused on student and public learning opportunities including the Native North American Travelling College, walking and museum tours relating to local revolutionary war histories, free boat trips to and tours of Valcour Island including the Bluff Point Lighthouse, the dedication of a legacy center at the Peru Dock interpreting the story of the national historic landmark for the Battle of Valcour Island, and reenactor demonstrations. Saturday evening and Sunday morning will feature concerts by the United States Navy Band. Sunday, the final day of the weekend celebrations, begins with the Saranac Chapter NSDAR’s 131^st commemoration ceremony of the Battle of Valcour Island followed by a fully narrated reenactment of the first battle of the United States Navy with a flotilla replicating both British and Patriot gunboats.

Activates throughout the coming months will be posted on the battleofvalcour.com and clintoncountyhistorical.org websites, in local news media and on the Clinton County Historical Association’s Facebook page.  Any questions can be directed to County America250 Committee Chair, Geri Favreau at 518-561-0340.