By Tim Binnall
A legendary sea creature said to lurk in Lake Champlain has been honored with a second historical marker. Known as 'Champ,' the mysterious cryptid akin to America's version of the Loch Ness Monster is believed by many to reside in the massive body of water that serves as a border between New York and Vermont. Said to have been spotted by hundreds of witnesses over the last few centuries, the lake monster has been adopted by several coastal communities in both states, serves as the mascot for a minor league baseball team, and was even considered for a commemorative license plate a few years ago. And now Champ is being celebrated once again by way of a new sign recognizing its proverbial point of origin.
Last week, workers in the New York hamlet of Port Henry reportedly unveiled the historical marker that was awarded to the town by the Pomeroy Foundation, which is an organization aimed at celebrating and preserving community history in localities across America. The signage, titled 'Origin of Champ,' tells the apocryphal story of how the lake monster came to be. According to the rather dark legend, a suitor rebuffed by a Native American princess named Bulwagga drowned the woman in Lake Champlain and then subsequently took his own life in a similar fashion. The man's spirit was then transformed into Champ and the creature is doomed to roam the lake forever searching for the lost love that he so cruelly took from this world.
The new signage in Port Henry is actually the second historical marker bestowed upon the Lake Champlain Monster from the Pomeroy Foundation, who awarded a similar honor to the New York town of Plattsburgh back in 2019 as part of its 'Legends and Lore' program. Fortunately, it is unlikely that the two signs will cause a cryptozoological turf war to erupt between the two communities. That's because the Plattsburgh marker declared that the "legendary lake monster lives here," while the Port Henry sign simply touts the town's claim to fame as being the origin site for the famed creature.