The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-11-05
LAKE CHAMPAIGN WAS
NOT DISCOVERED ON
FOURTH OF JULY
Connection Made Regarding Error Of
Writers Who Make Date Coin
eide with July

John W. Gordon of Barre one of the
best historically posted members OF
he Vermont bar writes the Barre
Times as follows
Two years ago our legislature pass
d n Joint resolution for the appoint
cent Of % commission for the celebra-
ION OF the Booth anniversary OF the
discovery of Lake Champaign. One OF
the reasons given Tor the appropriate
ness OF the celebration was that the
discovery was on July ith. our nat
.onal holiday II the day OF discovery
and the day OF the Declaration OF In.
dependence were thus coincident. Il
would certainly be an interesting his.
iorical fact But 20 is not true. Cnam
plain did not discover the lake on the
IN OF July but on the Bird
"lt Is true that some local historians
have stated that the date is July 4th
ON what authority they make this
statement We do not know. There is
40 more authority so far as we can as
certain. for their statement than there
is for that OF Gardner & Lodge In their
recent history OF the United States.
when they say that Champlain discov.
cred the lake on an expedition In the
winter OF l60S-9. The closest we can
get TO Champlain's own account Is the
translation Of the Prince society Of
Boston, and the reproduction in
French by the Lavel University OF Can
ada. OF the Voyages OF Champaign
Both of these works are In our state
library
By referring TO page 2l0 OF the
Prince society's translation. volume .
We find the opening sentence states
that Champlain left the falls OF the
river OF the lriQuois (later known as
The Sorrel or Richelleu river.) on
July ID The same statement may be
found IN the Lavel University's publi-
cation, volume 2. page 1855. After a
description OF an island. the indian
soothsayer and he forests. etc. Cham
plain states on page 2l5 OF the Prince
society's translation and page 100 OF
the lavel Uuiverslty's publication.
that he continued his Journey the
next day 20 the entrance OF the lake.
and In the next paragraph states that
"the next day We embarked upon the
lake" and then proceeds with his mar.
rallye OF the expedition. Il Is. there.
fore. apparent that II he left the falls
OF the river ON the 2nd day OF July
and reached the entrance OF the lake
ON the next day he must have discov.
cred the lake on the Srd day OF July,
1909 for the discovery would be at the
time when he first reached the lake
not The time when he began his ex.
ploration. 40 other date can be as.
signed for the discovery unless We
adopt the suggestion OF Prof LAYER
deere that Champlan may have made
a mistake when he wrote July I'd for
july 18th. II this were so. the discov
cry was made July 10.
as one Of the commissioners for the
celebration has recently published
an article in which he repeats the err
ror that the lake was discovered on
The ith day OF July. think that Oh,
matter ought to be cleared up. w,
are inviting New York and Canada 4,
participate In the tercontenary
Others may look this matter up an,
point out our error We should no
attempt to change the facts OF histor,
for the sake OF coincidence of dates o
through an excess OF patriotism or fo
any other reason.