09/26/2026
On Friday, September 25, the Town of Champlain held a ceremony at the Dewey Cemetery near the historic Dewey's Tavern. The event commemorated the last day the British army occupied the Town of Champlain during the War of 1812.
On September 25, 1814, 212 years ago, the last of the British army left the Town of Champlain and marched back to Canada. The largest invasion of the United States during the War of 1812 had ended.
The town marked the occasion at the Dewey Cemetery on Route 276 near the Prospect St. intersection. During the ceremony, the British flag was lowered and the American flag was raised.
This year, it was decided to involve the high school students at Northeastern Clinton Central School which happens to be across the street from the cemetery. At 10:00am, 400 students walked across the street to see the ceremony and hear about the role of Dewey's Tavern in the War of 1812.
As mentioned in previous posts, Elias and Lovisa Dewey came to Champlain around 1798 and built a pioneer log cabin. They lived in the still-standing cabin for two or three years (and winters) with a small and growing family. In 1800, Elias built the iconic white frame house that stands prominently at the corner of Rt. 276 and Prospect St.. Because the house was on the main road to Montreal, travelers frequented the house and Elias added an addition. It was known as the Elias Dewey Inn in 1815 and is now known as "Dewey's Tavern." For decades, the intersection was known as "Dewey's Corners." In the 1930s, the intersection was called "Castine's Corners" when Frank Castine owned the farm.
During the War of 1812, Dewey's Tavern saw three American armies (4-5,000 soldiers) march by or camp on the property. One general used the house as his headquarters. American militia camped in the fields around the house. The British army occupied the house and property when they marched to Plattsburgh in August of 1814. Many skirmishes took place between Dewey's and the "Line" and the injured soldiers were cared for in the tavern and log cabin. Many American soldiers (and legend says British too) are buried in the Dewey family cemetery across from the school. Two prisoner-of-war treaties were negotiated at the tavern.
The students were told of the history that sits right across from their school. What they did not know is that Dewey's Tavern and the area around the house is considered one of the most historic sites in Clinton County. Deweys was the focal point of activity in Champlain during the war. The tavern was featured in three books that the late Plattsburgh State history professor Allan Everest wrote in the 1960s and '70s on architecture and the War of 1812 (it was he who stated that Deweys was "one of the most historic homes in the county"). A Battle of Plattsburgh ceremony was held at the tavern from 2005 to 2014 and is now held at the cemetery.
Over a decade ago, the Town of Champlain acquired the Dewey Cemetery farmland from landowner Joseph Louie Bedard (he also enthusiastically hosted the Battle of Plattsburgh ceremony at the tavern). Over the years, a flagpole, two wayside interpretive panels and a blue and yellow historic marker were erected. The panels were sponsored by the Lake Champlain Basin Program and the flagpole and two blue and yellow markers were donated by the Woodmen Life Chapter 462 with the help of Calvin Castine. The cemetery sits in the Bob Venne Community Park. The town has avoided altering the area where the one-acre cemetery is suspected to be. This is where many American soldiers are buried and possibly British soldiers from the Battle of Plattsburgh. Some of the Dewey family, including Elias and Lovisa, are still buried in this field. All are buried in unmarked graves.
Those participating in the ceremony were Clinton County Legislator Calvin Castine, Town of Champlain Supervisor Tom Trombley, town council member and teacher Jason Borrie (who organized the student participation), Clinton County Historical Association president Geri Favreau, local historian David Patrick, Woodmen Life Chapter 462 and American Legion Post 1619 re-enactors including Robert St. John. Students held the American flag and led the Pledge of Allegiance. Members of the Town of Champlain America 250 Committee were also present and participated.
