FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Dec. 14, 2017) -- They came from different towns, villages and walks of life. Some wore hats bearing unit insignia from their time spent serving their nation. Some carried photographs and told stories of picking berries in the woods that are now part of an active training area. Others snapped photographs of architectural details and took notes as they listened to accounts of the individuals whose contributions shaped the history of the installation and the local community.
Despite their unique interests, each of the dozens of individuals who attended Fort Drum's Holiday History Tours on Dec. 9, 11 and 12 all had one thing in common -- a desire to immerse themselves in the history of the installation and the 10th Mountain Division.
The three-hour tours began with a stop at LeRay Mansion, where visitors learned about the history of the building and took in the holiday décor. Two towering evergreen trees adorned with traditional decorations of fruit, nuts, candles, cloth flowers and ribbons transported guests back to the time of James LeRay de Chaumont, who commissioned the building of the structure during the late 17th century.
Dr. Laurie Rush, Fort Drum cultural resources program manager, said that James LeRay de Chaumont designed the building's first floor in an open concept so that it was conducive to hosting gatherings and events. She said he would be pleased to know that the house is not just a piece of history, but that it is still used for social functions as well.
"One of the most rewarding things about the mansion is that it is being used to host members of the community," she said. "It's exciting to see the house being used exactly the way that LeRay intended for it to be used."
Standing beside another tree inside one of the mansion's two adjoined front parlors, Heather Wagner, Environmental Outreach program manager, spoke of the five "Lost Villages" that once existed in the area surrounding the house.
In 1940, more than 525 families were displaced from these small communities to allow for the expansion of what would later become Fort Drum, she said. Two more trees held dozens of ornaments that Wagner herself created -- each handcrafted using black-and-white photographs of the inhabitants of these villages.
"To me, they are memory trees of the 'Lost Villages' and the people who lived in this area that is now a part of the post," she said. "The patriotism they showed by giving up their land and their home and -- at the same time -- sending their sons away to fight in World War II -- is just incredible."
As she walked through the mansion, Jackie Young looked carefully at these photographs and at the architectural details of the building. Young said that she had been interested in seeing the mansion since she first read about it in a book several years ago.
"I've always been fascinated by this location," she said. "I went through the book and started reading about the history of the area, and I wanted to see this building in particular."
When Fort Drum officials announced that they would host their inaugural history tour in September, Young signed up right away. She said that she enjoyed visiting the lost village of LeRaysville and seeing the exterior of the mansion, but she was disappointed that she didn't have an opportunity to explore the interior.
"When they announced that they would be holding a tour so we could see the holiday décor, I was thrilled," she said. "The interior is absolutely beautiful -- especially the fireplaces."
Guests were treated to cookies in the formal dining room, and each received a card inscribed with a personal message from Maj. Gen. Walter E. Piatt, 10th Mountain Division (LI) and Fort Drum commander, and his wife Cynthia, thanking them for attending and wishing them a wonderful holiday season.
The next stop along the way was the 10th Mountain Division (LI) and Fort Drum Museum, where guests chuckled at the sight of a costumed mannequin reaching down from a helicopter in the ceiling of the lobby to place a star on top of a Christmas tree.
Sepp Scanlin, museum director, said that while the displays begin by depicting two different groups -- the inhabitants of the "Lost Villages" and the Soldiers of the early 10th Mountain Division -- they later converge to tell the story of the tight-knit community that exists at Fort Drum today.
"The last section of the museum is our personal favorite, because it is where both of those histories come together and we tell the story of the division and of the Fort Drum area together," he said. "It starts in 1985 when the division first stood up here, and it goes all the way through to current conflicts."
As visitors walked through the museum, Scanlin told stories of the division's early days training in Colorado and then fighting in the mountains of Italy.
Gail Whitney looked at a map of the lost village of Sterlingville, where her parents had resided until 1940.
"I wasn't born before they moved, but we all heard the stories all our lives about when they relocated," she said. "I wish now that I had asked … more questions about it, but being able to say that we have been there and walked around the area where they lived is really special to me."
The final stop on the tour was Memorial Park, where guests posed for a group photograph in front of the Military Mountaineers Monument and then walked around to view the other statues in the park and just inside the tree line on either side.
Jen Gordon attended the tour with her two daughters. She said that while she and her family have many friends who are part of the military, she was thankful for the opportunity to gain additional perspective.
"I think this puts a name to what we see on the news -- it helps make it real," she said. "We understand that the Soldiers are serving for a reason and that part of that reason is to protect us. I think this is a really great way for all of us to see how the Army works and how life is different for Soldiers and their Families."
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