American Battlefield Trust Purchases Land Bordering Battlefield Park
The American Battlefield Trust purchased 23.1 acres of lands on the south side of Route 67. The trust paid $60,000 for the land, which it hopes to pass on to New York State so that it becomes part of the New York State Historic Site in the future.
The land was purchased in June from Mohammed Zamani of Troy.
David Pitlyk, who has been at the park as the Historic Site Assistant since the fall of 2015, submitted an eight page research report summarizing the significance of the land to the American Battlefield Trust. That report was instrumental in convincing the trust to purchase the property.
The August 16, 1777 battle at Walloomsac is directly associated with the Battle of Saratoga, considered by many historians to be one of the top ten battles in world significance. The American victory at Walloomsac weakened British forces trying to get to Albany who faced the Continental Army then gathering at Saratoga (now the area four miles north of Stillwater). The loss to the British Army of almost 1000 soldiers and the failure to acquire badly needed provisions which was the objective of the expedition, contributed to the failure of the British drive to Albany. Two months later the British surrendered at Saratoga, directly leading to the French entering the war as American allies.