The Historian at the Table: John Krueger Concludes Tenure as HAPAC Chair
The Historian at the Table
A historian and raconteur can sit patiently through only so many dry meetings about phosphorous loading, aquatic invasive species, the conversion of mercury to methylmercury, etc., until he acts. In John Krueger’s case, that action meant history lessons for the scientists and policy makers around the table.
One day, many years ago, John decided to use his committee’s report-out time to give a brief history lesson. From that point, he began each on-this-date-in-history lesson with: “Ladies and Gentlemen…” and entranced the group with an entertaining tale of the Champlain Valley’s rich history. John’s history lessons were an important part of most LCBP leadership meetings.
A Dedicated Champion of our Heritage
John joined the Lake Champlain Basin Program’s CHRAC (Cultural Heritage and Recreation Advisory Committee) in June 2003 and became its chair in June 2006. Since then, he has diligently served as a member of the Lake Champlain Steering Committee and its Executive Committee. In addition to attending almost every LCBP meeting, John reviewed and ranked hundreds of CVNHP grant applications over the years.
The CHRAC was phased out with the creation of the Heritage Area Program Advisory Committee (HAPAC), which provides guidance on the management of the CVNHP. John served as the HAPAC Chair from May 2010 until April 2025—an impressive span of time, even for a historian! Conservative calculations indicate that John contributed 2,400 hours of his time to serving the people and natural and cultural resources of the Champlain Valley!
A Brief Biography
Originally from Schenectady, New York, John headed to New England to attend Boston University, graduating in 1972 with a degree in American studies. Three years later, he received a master’s degree in American history from the University of Vermont. In 1981, he left the University at Albany, SUNY with a doctorate in history.
John went on to work at UVM from 1983 to 1998, first as a professor of history and later in donor relations. He continued his work in development at Salzburg Global (then based in Middlebury, Vermont) before assuming the position of director at the Clinton County Historical Association, which he held from 2003 to 2005. From 2006 to 2013 John served as director of the Kent-Delord House Museum, and from 2011 to 2016 worked as a city historian for Plattsburgh, New York.
A prolific writer and gifted storyteller, John’s animated history lessons sparked a deeper appreciation of our region’s cultural heritage for countless listeners. Several of his original writings have been posted to the Threads of History blog on the CVNHP website. Each “thread” is meticulously researched and emphasizes the connections to the very same landscapes we work to protect and conserve today.
Thank you, John!
John Krueger was kindly supportive of the LCBP staff for more than 20 years. As a member of the Lake Champlain Executive and Steering committees, he advocated for us and always had our back. We’re so grateful for your collaboration and camaraderie. You’ll always have a friend at the LCBP!