Town of North Hempstead Hosts Visit by Replica of 1862 Schooner
Immediate Release - Contact: David Chauvin - September 9, 2005 (516) 869-7794
Port Washington, NY- Supervisor Jon Kaiman and Councilman Fred Pollack have announced that the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum’s Lois McClure and the tugboat C.L. Churchill will arrive at North Hempstead’s Town Dock in Port Washington on Thursday, September 22nd and remain there until Sunday, September 25th.
Throughout the summer, the schooner has been visiting ports along the Hudson River, from Burlington, VT to the New York City area and ports in between. The Lois McClure will be open to the public on Thursday, September 22 and Friday, September 23, 3-6 p.m. and Saturday, September 24 and Sunday, September 25, from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
“We are proud to welcome the Lois McClure to North Hempstead,” said Supervisor Kaiman. “I hope all of North Hempsteadwill take advantage of this unique educational opportunity.”
The Lois McClure began her grand journey to commemorate over one hundred years of trade along the northeast in June. This ship is an accurate reproduction of the vessels that sailed the northern waterway during the 19th century and is coming to educate and entertain at all the ports of its original route. Lois McClure, the first canal schooner to be built in a Lake Champlain boatyard for more than a century, was created by the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum based in Burlington, Vermont. It will make its grand journey from the “Green Mountains to Manhattan” from mid-June to mid-October with free admission for all. Visitors to the ship will be given a tour by the ship’s captain and educated about trade during the 19th and 20th century.
Councilman Pollack added that, "This is a tremendous opportunity to learn about sailing ships and their contribution to commerce and community life 150 years ago. It is also another opportunity to attract people to Manhasset Bayand will help us continue our effort to restore maritime activities to the community. And, it will be fun for the entire family!"
The Lois McClure is based on Lake Champlain shipwrecks and was made using the same materials from Vermont, New York, and Maine that were used in creating the original canal schooners. “It’s a faithful replica,” said the McClure’s Captain Roger Taylor. “Whatever we do, it’s the same as they did 150 years ago. It handles the way it would have.” The captain and crew of the Lois McClure and Town of North Hempstead city officials invite you to join them in sharing this historic moment as the 88 foot replica of an 1862 canal schooner docks at Port Washington Town Dock. This event promises to be educational and fun for the whole family.
For more information on the history and production of the Lois McClure, as well as downloadable photos of the schooner and its crew, please visit our www.lcmm.org .
For more information, please contact:
Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
4472 Basin Harbor Rd., Vergennes, VT 05491
802-475-2022 (phone)
802-475-2953 (fax)
website:www.lcmm.org
info@lcmm.org (email)
A non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Lake Champlain.