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"Maritime Museum Celebrates Anniversary"

by Rory Cummings

n Saturday, May 25, on of those beautiful spring days that you almost never see outside a photograph, the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum had two things to celebrate. Not only was it the tenth anniversary of the museums founding but also the grand opening of the Gateway Building, the new entrance to the museum grounds.

The festivities began at 1300 that afternoon, with a book signing by Dr. Philip Lundeberg of the Smithsonian Institution, and a print singing by artist Ernest Hass in the new building. Then at 13:30, Captain Robert Taylor gave a talk about sailing the Philadelphia, the Museums replica of an eighteenth century gunboat from the deck of the ship itself. At the same time, Dr. Lundeberg gave a speech on the Crew of the original Philadelphia and her origins. At 1400 the Adirondack Bagpipe Corps performed, and at 1430 Robert Beach spoke about the Museums first building, the stone Panton Schoolhouse

Finally, at 1500, it was time for the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new building. Beginning with a second performance by the pipers, speeches by the founders of the museum and Dr. Lundeberg, the celebration moved to the center lawn, for cake and lemonade.

What’s in store for the next ten years? I spoke with Art Cohn, co-fonder and director of the Museum. He hopes that the Museum will continue to provide a firm base for research, and to serve the community buy promoting knowledge about the history of Lake Champlain.

The Philadelphia is the Museum’s best know project to date. They are planing several major projects. One idea on the drawing board is a half scale model of the drive mechanism used on horse powered boats. If this project works, they plan to build a full scale model and mount it aboard an actual boat.

From our point of view the Museum is looking at a bright future in the next ten years!