Tour a small New York town on Lake Champlain with an important past. Visit its historic sites to learn about the pivotal role it played in shaping America.
With its sleepy downtown and serene setting, it is hard to imagine Crown Point’s important place in American history. Because of its strategic location on Lake Champlain, this town helped shape the New World. Today, you can walk in the footsteps of America’s forefathers as you tour Crown Point’s historic sites.
No visit to Crown Point is complete without stopping at theCrown Point State Historic Site. Explore the ruins of two French and British forts that were instrumental in enforcing European control over the New World. Crown Point’s fascinating history comes to life at the site’s accompanying museum. Learn about the wars that shaped early America through exhibits, films and live presentations.
Adjacent to the forts is theCrown Point Public Campground. In summer, you can park your RV or pitch a tent at this site which overlooks the majestic Lake Champlain.
Use the campground’s boat launch to explore this large body of water. Among the types of watercraft permitted on the lake are motorboats, jet skis and canoes. As you travel across the lake, look for theChamplain Memorial Lighthouse. The iconic landmark was constructed to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the discovery of this area by French explorer Samuel de Champlain. Mounted on the base of the structure is a statue of Champlain, accompanied by a Native American and a French voyageur.
If you are keen to know more about Crown Point’s history, go to thePenfield Museum. Learn about the region’s prominent 19th-century ironworking industry, which encompasses the USSMonitor. The Union Navy’s first ironclad warship in the American Civil War was made from iron mined from the area. Discover a historical first at the nearby hamlet ofIronville. This is known as the Birthplace of the Electric Age, because it was here that electricity was first used for industrial use in America.
Most people either arrive or depart Crown Point byChamplain Bridge. This crossing traverses Lake Champlain and connects the New York side to Chimney Point, Vermont.
