Press-Republican

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July 10, 2009

Crown Point pier, lighthouse reopen

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CROWN POINT — Restoration work on the Crown Point Pier and Champlain Lighthouse have been completed, and both facilities are again open to the public.

Restoration work on the pier included re-enforcement 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 before the Champlain Quadricentennial Celebration in September.

The facilities are located on the shore of Lake Champlain on the grounds of New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Crown Point Public Campground.

"We are proud and pleased that the public can access the Crown Point Pier and Champlain Lighthouse in their restored state of grandeur," DEC Region 5 Director Elizabeth M. Lowe said in a news release.

"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."

The quadricentennial celebrates the 400th anniversary of French explorer Samuel de Champlain's 1609 sighting of the lake that now bears his name.

While celebrations and events will occur throughout the summer, New York's premier Quadricentennial Celebration will be hosted at the Crown Point Campground and the Crown Point Reservation Sept. 18 to 20.

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 Lake Champlain during that era.

There is a $6 day-use fee to go to the Champlain Lighthouse or use the pier.

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 DEC.

In 1912, New York, 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.

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