Crown Point Light facts for kids
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| Champlain Memorial Lighthouse, November 2010 | |
 Crown Point Light
Location in New York
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| Location | on Crown Point on Lake Champlain |
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| Coordinates | 44°01′48″N 73°25′18″W / 44.0299°N 73.4216°W |
| Year first lit | 1858 |
| Deactivated | 1926 |
| Construction | stone |
| Tower shape | circular colonnade |
| Height | 55 feet (17 m) |
| Original lens | Fifth-order fresnel lens |
The Crown Point Light is a special old lighthouse located on Lake Champlain in Crown Point, New York. It used to guide ships, but now it stands as a memorial. It honors Samuel de Champlain, who explored the lake many years ago.
Contents
History of the Crown Point Light
Building the First Lighthouse
People started asking for a lighthouse at Crown Point as early as 1838. Finally, in 1858, the first light was built by Ellis and O'Neil. It looked similar to other lighthouses they built nearby.
This first lighthouse was an eight-sided stone tower. It had a house attached for the lighthouse keeper. It stood on a small piece of land east of the old Fort Saint-Frédéric ruins. The lighthouse worked, helping ships navigate, for many years.
Turning the Lighthouse into a Memorial
In the early 1900s, people wanted to celebrate a big event. It was 300 years since Samuel de Champlain first explored Lake Champlain. To mark this special anniversary, New York and Vermont decided to build a monument.
Someone suggested turning an existing lighthouse into a memorial. After looking at a few places, they chose the Crown Point Light. The old stone outside of the tower was removed. This left the brick spiral staircase standing on its own.
New Design and Sculptures
A brand new tower was built around the staircase. It had a short base and a ring of eight Doric columns. At the top, there was a fancy carved edge and a new lantern.
On the side facing the lake, a large bronze sculpture was added. It was made by Carl Augustus Heber. This sculpture showed Champlain with a French companion and a Native American from the Huron tribe. The government of France also sent a special plaque. This plaque was created by the famous artist Auguste Rodin. It was placed below the larger sculpture.
A wide staircase led down from the monument to a pier in the lake. The lighthouse still used its original lens to shine a steady white light. The old keeper's house stayed attached to the new tower. The memorial was officially opened on July 5, 1912. The governors of Vermont and New York were there for the ceremony.
Later Years and What It Is Today
The memorial lighthouse only worked as an active light for 14 more years. In 1926, its light was turned off. A smaller, simpler tower was put up closer to the water instead.
In 1931, the Crown Point Bridge was built. This bridge blocked the view of the memorial. The small steel tower was then moved to another lighthouse site. This was part of an effort to stop liquor smuggling on the lake.
The land was given to the State of New York. Today, the state takes care of the memorial. The old keeper's house was taken down, so the monument now stands alone. The tower is still shown on maps for boats, but it no longer helps guide them.
