13. Fort Ticonderoga (New York)
Perched at a strategic point between Lake George and Lake Champlain, Fort Ticonderoga played a decisive role in both the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. Its 1775 capture by Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys gave the patriots much-needed artillery and a morale boost. Control of this fort meant dominance over the vital Hudson River corridor—a key supply route for both sides. Though less celebrated than some Revolutionary sites, Fort Ticonderoga’s legacy is woven into the very fabric of America’s fight for independence.
