The Sword Surrender Site place is where British General John Burgoyne ceremoniously tendered his sword to American General Horatio Gates, conceding defeat at the Battles of Saratoga in October 1777. Remarkably, this place of international importance had been in private hands since the Revolution. Fortunately, the land was purchased in 2006 by Open Space Institute, Inc. with funds appropriated by the NYS Assembly to preserve it as a historical site.
The focus of the Cultural Landscape Treatment Plan was to design a site memorial to celebrate the history of this event, to establish interpretive elements and to provide universal accessibility.