Rock Dunder facts for kids
Rock Dunder is a very small island made of rock. It barely sticks out of the water in Lake Champlain. You can find it about 2.8 miles (4.5 km) southwest of the ferry dock in Burlington, Vermont. The water in Lake Champlain is usually about 95.5 feet (29.1 meters) above sea level. Rock Dunder only rises a few feet above the water. When the water level is low, the island looks a bit bigger.
Contents
What is Rock Dunder Made Of?
Rock Dunder and a larger island nearby, Juniper Island, are like leftover pieces of a big rock layer. This layer is called Utica slate. It used to fill a large part of Lake Champlain, stretching from Shelburne to South Hero. This rock layer is part of an even bigger one that goes north from the Hudson River. At the bottom of Rock Dunder, you can find large rocks of Winooski limestone and Laurentian gneiss.
What Legends Surround Rock Dunder?
The Abenaki Story of Oodzee-hozo
The Abenaki people have a special legend about Rock Dunder. They believe a spirit named Oodzee-hozo ("he who created himself") lived long ago. He lived before legs were invented! As he moved around, dragging his body, he created mountains, valleys, and rivers. He also created Lake Champlain, which is a very sacred place for the Abenaki. The legend says that Oodzee-hozo turned himself into this rock in the lake. His spirit is believed to live there still.
Meeting Place for Native American Tribes
An old newspaper article from 1896 talks about Rock Dunder too. It says that the Huron and Iroquois tribes would meet here. They called the spot Wujahose. They would come to this place to make important agreements and treaties. It's interesting that this name sounds similar to the Abenaki name, Oodzee-hozo. This makes people wonder if the Iroquois and Huron knew about the Abenaki legend. It also makes them wonder if they would have met there if they believed it was such a powerful spirit.
How Did Rock Dunder Get Its Name?
Rock Dunder has often been mistaken for a ship, especially when Lake Champlain is foggy. There's a story that parts of the rock were even blasted away during the American Revolutionary War.
The island got its unique name from a funny mistake during the Battle of Lake Champlain. This battle happened during the Revolutionary War. A British ship was sailing in the fog and accidentally fired its cannons at the rock. The rock was hidden by the thick fog. When the officer in charge realized his mistake, he supposedly shouted, "It's a rock, by Dunder!" And that's how this little island got its name.
