Lake George, glacial lake, 33 mi (53 km) long and 1 to 3 mi (1.6–5 km) wide, in the foothills of the Adirondack Mts., NE N.Y.; it drains NE via rapids and waterfalls into Lake Champlain. The lake was discovered in 1646 by Isaac Jogues, a French Jesuit missionary, who named it Lac du St. Sacrement; the English colonial leader Sir William Johnson renamed it for the king of England in 1755. During the French and Indian Wars and the American Revolution, the area around Lake George was the scene of many battles. The ruins of Fort George (built 1759) and Fort William Henry are at the southern end of the lake; historic Fort Ticonderoga, a national historic landmark, is at the northern end. Lake George, with numerous small islands, is noted for its scenery. The lake and the adjacent village of Lake George remain a center of a resort area that attracts tourists and vacationers year-round.

Lake George, village (1990 est. pop. 1,100), seat of Warren co., E N.Y.; inc. 1903. Situated on the southern tip of Lake George in the foothills of the Adirondack Mts., it has been a popular vacation site since the mid-1800s and is now a year-round tourist and sports center. Vestiges of Fort William Henry, built by Sir William Johnson, and Fort George are in the village. A state underwater preserve, whose sunken wrecks include one dating from the French and Indian War, is located nearby in the lake.