1909 Champlain Tercentenary

July 4, 1909 to July 10, 1909

From Sunday, July 4 to Saturday, July 10, 1909, New York State and Vermont hosted a bi-state celebration commemorating the discovery of Lake Champlain in 1609 and three subsequent centuries steeped in history. July 4th, Champlain Sunday, marked the beginning of a week-long series of events along the lake. In Plattsburgh, the pastor preached on "Three Centuries of Divine Providence in the Champlain Valley." At Cliff Haven, in a forest cathedral, Pontifical High Mass was celebrated. And in Burlington 5000 people gathered at the lakefront and shared in a vesper service honoring Champlain.

And that was just for starters. There were sumptuous banquets and rousing parades of military troops, fraternal and civic organizations. Thrilling mock battles and colorful Indian pageants. Literary exercises, original poems and ballads. Addresses by President William Howard Taft, Vice President James S. Sherman, New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes, and many other American and foreign dignitaries. All culminating in a water carnival complete with motorboat and canoe races.

Digitized sections of the 1909 Champlain Tercentenary Celebration Final Report are available through the Hudson River Maritime Museum at: http://www.hrmm.org/quad/1909champlain/contents.html

Photos of 1909 Champlain Tercentary Celebration