"...and shall be always available to The People of the State of New York for the purpose of examination and study..."

Stark's Knob is one of two scientific reservations under the management of the New York State Museum. The other - Lester Park - has recently undergone renovation, with improved public access and new interpretive signage. The intent was to move next to Stark's Knob with the same type of project, transforming the site into an educational resource area with a series of long-overdue improvements.

It was soon discovered, however, that the boundary information needed to define the property before work could begin was not available, since no parcel map for the lands donated to the State in 1916 could be located. Without a clear and well marked boundary, it would be difficult to effectively design access and interpretive improvements.

A lengthy and complex process was begun in 1998 to re-establish the boundaries of the original reservation and to install a fence around the property so that these boundaries would be evident to both those designing site improvements as well as users of the property for educational purposes.

That process is now well advanced, and later this year we will begin to transform Starks' Knob into the public site it was intended to be.

Here, at Stark's Knob, we find a wonderful combination of natural and cultural significance, for not only is the geological formation one of international interest, being a feature of volcanic origins unique in New York State, but the site is also a key feature in the final defeat of the British Army at the Battles of Saratoga in 1777, an event of profound international importance.

This website is dedicated to all aspects of the history of Stark's Knob - cultural and natural - and to the many people whose efforts over the coming years will bring this site back to the world-class status and widespread public access it once enjoyed.

Historical Background

What role did Stark's Knob play in the defeat of the British Army during the Battles of Saratoga in 1777, and did General Stark really place a cannon on top of the hill?

Geological Origins

How did this hill come to be formed in the first place, and why do people call it New York State's only volcano when geologists say it isn't really a volcano?

1914 to 1999

How did Stark's Knob become a Scientific Reservation, how was it supposed to be used for educational purposes, and what has been its more recent history and condition?

Project 2000

What is the plan for making this site more accesible to the public and better interpreted as an educational field resource, and what can people do to help the project along?

Photo Album

You can look here for pictures of interest relating to Stark's Knob, including modern field photos of the project as it progresses. If you have pictures you would like to include here, send them to the address below.

A Virtual Site Visit

In the comfort of your own home, explore the trails and features located on the Stark's Knob Reservation, using this easy to navigate virtual tour.

An Actual Site Visit

If you wish to visit the site, see the general location map at the above link, or view the detailed location map, and take care to park in designated areas and keep within the boundaries of the State property and on marked trails.

Draft Site Management Master Plan - August, 2001

For more information...

If you have questions, or wish to obtain more detailed information about this subject, please contact:

Ed Landing
New York State Museum
Room 3107 Cultural Education Center
Albany, New York 12230
Email:elanding@mail.nysed.gov