Benjamin Franklin Slept Here: The Founding Father’s Failed Mission to Make Canada the 14th Colony

Before independence was declared, America's greatest diplomat attempted his most ambitious mission: winning Canada for the Revolutionary cause. In spring 1776, Benjamin Franklin journeyed through the Saratoga region on his way north, hoping to make Canada the 14th colony. Town Historian Sean Kelleher explores why this mission failed, how it influenced the drafting of the Declaration of Independence just months later, and how Franklin transformed defeat into triumph. From the muddy roads along the Hudson in Saratoga to the halls of Versailles, follow Franklin's remarkable evolution from rejected envoy to celebrated ambassador. Learn how his Canadian failure taught lessons that would prove invaluable in France, where his diplomatic genius secured the alliance that won American independence. This program is being held inside the Roosevelt II Bathhouse at Saratoga Spa State Park. Parking is available along Roosevelt Extension or in the Victoria Pool parking lot at 65 Roosevelt Dr. Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. For more information, visit https://www.grantcottage.org/.