Work is nearly complete on a more than $2 million project to refurbish the New York-owned Champlain Memorial Lighthouse in time to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Samuel de Champlain’s exploration of the region.
The project has included conservation of a bronze plaque created by French sculptor Auguste Rodin and building a short road over the remains of an 18th-century fortification on the Lake Champlain shoreline.
The Rodin bust was a gift from the French government when the Champlain Memorial opened in 1912.
Work on the monument began last year at the state-owned Crown Point campground. Crews have spent months cleaning and repairing the 72-foot-tall granite monument and renovating a nearby pier.
The memorial is expected to reopen in late May. A rededication ceremony is set for September 19th.