Nicholas and Nicola Bell, with their baby Poppy, were the first people to complete a new quest that links Crown Point, NY with Chimney Point, VT. The British family followed clues on a Quest Map and answered seven riddles to obtain the quest’s treasure: a commemorative coin. The Bells, who were visiting from London, reported, “It was a great deal of fun!”
The Bridge Quest was developed through a partnership among the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership (CVNHP), Chimney Point State Historic Site, Crown Point State Historic Site, Lake Champlain Visitors Center, and the Crown Point State Campground. “The Quest is an exciting way for people to experience the deep history and scenic beauty of this Lake Champlain Bridge area. Chimney Point is pleased to be a part of it. The coin is beautiful and should be a sought-after keepsake,” said Elsa Gilbertson, of the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation that manages the Chimney Point State Historic Site.
“We are so excited that this challenge encourages visitors to further explore our Lake Champlain Bridge Heritage Area and recognize many of its historically significant features,” added Suzanne Maye of the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism: ROOST, which operates the Lake Champlain Visitors Center in Crown Point, NY.
The Quest Maps are available at the Lake Champlain Visitors Center, or at the two state historic sites. “We look forward to distributing the Lake Champlain Heritage Area Quest Map at Crown Point State Historic Site. It will encourage visitors to move around the sites, to walk across the bridge, and enjoy the scenic beauty. What a fun way to explore the historic and archaeological resources of this area,” said Crown Point Historic Site Manager Michael Roets.
Questers may also download the maps from the CVNHP website: www.cvnhp.org. At a leisurely pace, the quest takes about three hours to complete. Once complete, questers can pick up their commemorative coin at the Lake Champlain Visitors Center, which sits at the western end of the Lake Champlain Bridge.
“I’m looking forward to completing the quest with my 6-year-old son,” said Eric Howe, the Director of the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) and the CVNHP. “He’s going to love finding the animals on the Champlain Memorial Lighthouse, seeing how many posts there are on the Chimney Point Tavern porch, and learning all about the historic forts.”
One of 49 congressionally designated national heritage areas in the United States, the CVNHP is managed by the LCBP, which is based in Grand Isle, Vermont.