You’re standing in a 1960s grocery store in Ticonderoga, New York. Honestly, from the outside, it doesn’t look like much. It’s an unassuming brick building on Montcalm Street that used to be a Family Dollar. But then, you step through the doors, and the air changes. You aren't in a small town near Lake Champlain anymore. You’re on the USS Enterprise.
The ticonderoga star trek set tour is probably the most obsessively accurate recreation of a television set in the world. This isn't just a museum with some glass cases and dusty props. It’s a full-scale, 1:1 reproduction of Desilu Stage 9. We’re talking about the bridge, the transporter room, sickbay, and the jefferies tubes—all rebuilt using the original blueprints.
The Elvis Impersonator Who Saved the Enterprise
The story of how this place exists is almost as wild as an episode of the show itself. James Cawley, a Ticonderoga native and professional Elvis impersonator, is the mastermind behind it all. He didn't just wake up one day and decide to build a spaceship.
Back in the 1990s, Cawley was working as an assistant to William Ware Theiss, the legendary costume designer for the original Star Trek series. When Theiss passed away, he left Cawley the original set blueprints. Most people would have framed them. Cawley? He spent the next 15 years and a small fortune of his "Elvis money" meticulously rebuilding the sets.
Initially, these sets were for fan films like Star Trek: New Voyages. But when Paramount tightened the rules on fan productions, Cawley did something brilliant. He worked out a deal with CBS to turn the sets into a permanent, licensed attraction.
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What You’ll Actually See Inside
Walking through the corridors is a trip. The hallways are curved exactly like they were on TV, and if you look closely, you’ll see the "gumdrop" buttons on the consoles. Everything glows. Everything hums with that specific 1960s ambient sound.
The Bridge
This is the "wow" moment. You walk onto the bridge and it’s a full circle. In the 60s, the original set was built in pieces so the camera could move around, but here, it’s all connected. You can sit in the Captain’s Chair. You've probably seen a million photos of people doing it, but sitting there and looking at the helm and navigation consoles is different. It’s smaller than it looks on TV, which is a weird realization most fans have.
Engineering and the "Forced Perspective"
The engineering room is massive. It’s two stories tall, just like it was after the show got a budget bump in Season 2. One of the coolest things the guides point out is the "forced perspective" at the back of the warp core. It looks like the ship goes on for miles, but it’s actually a clever trick using smaller and smaller props to fool your eyes.
The Transporter Room
You can stand on the pads. The platform circles are made with glass from old spotlights, exactly how they did it in 1966 to save money. Back then, a single transporter effect cost $600 per person, which is why the "red shirts" usually stayed on the ship unless they were scheduled for a dramatic exit.
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Meet the Captain (Literally)
The ticonderoga star trek set tour isn't just a static display. It’s a living part of the Trek community. They host events called "Trekonderoga" and semi-annual "William Shatner Weekends."
Yes, the actual William Shatner comes here. He’s been known to lead tours himself, which has to be the ultimate meta-experience for a fan. Other legends like the late Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, and Walter Koenig have all walked these halls. Even LeVar Burton from The Next Generation visited recently and was reportedly floored by the detail.
Why Accuracy Matters Here
A lot of "experiences" today are just digital projections or green screens. This is physical. It’s plywood, plexiglass, and sweat.
The guides are walking encyclopedias. They’ll tell you how the sliding doors were actually operated by a guy pulling a rope just out of frame. They’ll show you props that were repurposed—like a scary alien computer from one episode that became a medical scanner in the next. It’s a masterclass in 1960s "low-budget" ingenuity.
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Practical Tips for Your Trek
If you're planning to go, keep a few things in mind. Ticonderoga is a bit out of the way. It’s about a two-hour drive from Albany and four hours from New York City.
- Tickets: You should definitely book in advance, especially for the celebrity weekends. General tours are usually around $20-$25, but the big events can run into the hundreds (or thousands for the "Admiral" packages).
- Photography: Still photos are encouraged. You're going to want that shot in the chair. However, video is usually a no-go because of the licensing agreement with CBS.
- The Area: Don't just do the tour and leave. Fort Ticonderoga is right down the road if you want some "real" history to balance out your sci-fi.
- Cell Signal: It's the Adirondacks. Your phone might become a brick for a bit. Download your maps before you get close to town.
The Real Value of the Visit
The thing most people get wrong is thinking this is just for "nerds." It’s actually a preserved piece of American cultural history. Star Trek influenced everything from the cell phone in your pocket to the way we think about civil rights and diversity. Seeing the physical space where those ideas were birthed—even if it's a recreation—is powerful.
When you leave the building and step back onto Montcalm Street, the world looks a little more "ordinary" than it did ten minutes ago. But that's the point of a place like this. It reminds you that with some blueprints and enough passion, you can build a future that hasn't happened yet.
Next Steps for Your Visit
To make the most of your trip, check the official Star Trek Tour website for the most current schedule. They often have "unannounced" additions to the museum area. If you're looking for the best photo ops, try to book a mid-week tour during the "off-season" (late spring or early fall) when the crowds are thinner, giving you more time to linger on the bridge without someone else waiting for your seat.