For Release: Wednesday, July 8, 2009
DEC Crown Point Pier and Champlain Lighthouse Reopened
Will be Featured in New York's Lake Champlain Quadricentennial Celebration
Restoration work on the Crown Point Pier and Champlain Lighthouse has been completed and both facilities are once again open to the public, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Region 5 Director Elizabeth M. Lowe announced today.
"We are proud and pleased that the public can access the Crown Point Pier and Champlain Lighthouse in their restored state of grandeur," said Regional Director Lowe. "The pier and the lighthouse reflect the long and storied history of Lake Champlain and the people who lived and worked on its waters and shores. They, along with other nearby historic sites, will serve as the focal point of New York's Lake Champlain Quadricentennial Celebration."
Restoration work on the pier included reenforcement of the bulkhead and piers, removal of zebra mussels, refurbishing of the metal trusses and decking, repair of the roof -- including replacement of broken slate shingles, thorough cleaning of exterior and interior surfaces and placement of new signs.
Work on the lighthouse included restoration of the Rodin sculpture, thorough cleaning and repair of outer stonework and thorough cleaning, resealing and painting of the interior. The Rodin sculpture has not been placed back on the lighthouse, but will be prior to the Quadricentennial Celebration in September.
The facilities are located on the shore of Lake Champlain in Essex County on the grounds of DEC Crown Point Public Campground. Other nearby by historic features are the Crown Point Reservation, which includes Fort Crown Point and Fort St. Frederic, the Crown Point Bridge and the Toll Keeper's House.
The Lake Champlain Quadricentennial celebrates the 400th anniversary of the French explorer Samuel de Champlain's 1609 sighting of the lake that now bears his name. Champlain is noted as the first European to have recorded his exploration of the lake and the surrounding region.
While celebrations and events will occur throughout the summer, New York's premier Quadricentennial Celebration will be hosted at the DEC Crown Point Campground and the OPHRP Crown Point Reservation on September 18-20. New York will celebrate the role that Lake Champlain and the Champlain Valley played in the history of our country and the state, and the natural wonders and recreational opportunities of the lake.
The Crown Point steamboat pier was constructed in 1929, serving as a point of embarkation and disembarkation passengers accessing Crown Point from one of the many large steamboats that plied up and down Lake Champlain during that era.
The Champlain Memorial Lighthouse was originally constructed in 1858 and the surrounding land was acquired in 1910 by the New York State Conservation Department - predecessor to the DEC. In 1912, the States of New York and Vermont and the Province of Quebec worked together to reconstruct the lighthouse as a monument to Samuel de Champlain, in recognition of the 300th anniversary of his explorations.
The Champlain Memorial Lighthouse, the Crown Point Pier and the Toll Keepers House are eligible for listing in the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The entire Crown Point Reservation is also a National Historic Landmark.
