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toward mid-week WELL ITS MONDAY AND IN TODAY’S THIS IS OUR HOME, WE UNCOVERED THE STORIES AND SCENERY THAT MAKE ADDISON’S CHIMNEY POINT STATE HISTORIC SITE AND D.A.R. STATE PARK SO SPECIAL-CHECK IT OUT IN THE SCENIC TOWN OF ADDISON, VERMONT YOU’LL FIND HISTORY NESTLED IN A SERENE, NATURAL LANDSCAPE… AT THE CHIMNEY POINT STATE PARK. CHIMNEY POINT HAS BEEN A VITAL GATHERING PLACE SINCE THE EARLY 1600S. AND IT SAW SOME OF THE EARLIEST HUMAN ACTIVITY IN THE REGION AFTER THE GLACIAL WATERS RECEDED 8000 YEARS AGO. SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN WAS THE FIRST KNOWN EUROPEAN TO VISIT IN 1609, ESTABLISHING RICH, EUROPEAN HISTORY IN ADDISON… THAT STILL STANDS TODAY. <ELSA GILBERTSON(10;43;09; 18) BECAUSE THE LAKE IS SO NARROW HERE, THIS WAS ALWAYS A CROSSING POINT.(10;43;15;23)> CHIMNEY POINT’S LOCATION MADE IT A STRATEGIC ASSET DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, AIDING CRUCIAL MOVEMENTS ACROSS LAKE CHAMPLAIN <ELSA GILBERTSON(10;39;50; 06) WE CALL THIS JOKINGLY THE ORIGINAL ADDISON FOUR CORNERS, BECAUSE YOU CAN EITHER GO NORTH AND SOUTH OR EAST AND WEST HERE. (10;39;58;03)> THE ORIGINAL LAKE CHAMPLAIN BRIDGE, WHICH OPENED IN 1929, WAS A CONNECTOR BETWEEN CHIMNEY POINT AND CROWN POINT… IN NEW YORK. IT CLOSED IN 2009, BUT THE áCURRENT BRIDGE, COMPLETED TWO YEARS LATER, CARRIES ITS LEGACY… áAND 3 THOUSAND VEHICLES A áDAY. TODAY, YOU’LL FIND A PIECE OF THE ORIGINAL BRIDGE AT THE CHIMNEY POINT STATE HISTORIC SITE <NAT OF ROARING COMMUTE> NOT EVEN TWO MILES DOWN THE ROAD, D-A-R STATE PARK OFFERS A BLEND OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND BEAUTY. <MADELINE SMITH (09;28;41;10) THIS IS 95 ACRES OF JUST PURE BLISS DURING THE SUMMER.(09;28;44;29)> THE PARK HAS 71 CAMPSITES, A ROCKY BEACH THAT LINES LAKE CHAMPLAIN, AND PLENTY OF WILDLIFE. <NAT OF BIRDS AND ANMIALS> BUT IT’S NOT JUST A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO SOAK UP THE SUN. THE SITE ALSO HONORS THE LEGACY OF JOHN STRONG, A REVOLUTIONARY WAR PATRIOT WHO ONCE OWNED THE LAND. <MADELINE (09;33;10;20) IT’S REALLY COOL TO SEE HOW THE THIS PARK THAT IS STEEPED IN SO MUCH HISTORY HAS KIND OF PROGRESSED INTO DIFFERENT HANDS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE.(09;33;20;25)> (ááBUTT TOáá) < MADELINE SMITH(09;26;43;18) I GET A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PARK. (09;26;46;21) áCOLORFUL BITE THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION BOUGHT THE PROPERTY FROM STRONG IN 1934 AND TURNED IT INTO A MUSEUM… HIGHLIGHTING EARLY COLONIAL LIFE. TWENTY YEARS LATER…THEY DONATED IT TO THE STATE. <MADELINE SMITH (09;34;47;12) BEING ABLE TO REALLY STEP INTO THAT HOMEYNESS AND FEEL ALMOST A PART OF IT AND FEEL RESPONSIBLE FOR A PLOT OF LAND THAT IS IN ADDISON, VERMONT, IS, TRULY SPECIAL. (09;34;59;20)> <VO OF CHIMNEY POINT SIGN AND DAR SIGNS> TWO LOCATIONS. RICH IN HISTORY AND STUNNING LANDSCAPE

This is Our Home: Addison

Step into the past and enjoy the present at Chimney Point State Historic Site and D.A.R. State Park

Addison, Vermont, is a historic and natural wonderland located along Lake Champlain. Chimney Point State Historic Site has been a vital site since the early 1600s, witnessing Native American gatherings and European military conflicts including the arrival of Samuel de Champlain in 1609. “Because the lake is so narrow here, this was always a crossing point,” says Elsa Gilbertson, a historian at the Chimney Point State Historic Site. Just a short drive away, D.A.R. State Park spans 95 acres of serene landscapes, offering 71 campsites, a pavilion, and a peaceful rocky beach. Madeline Smith, the assistant park manager, describes it as “pure bliss during the summer.” The park is not only a recreational haven but also a preservation of the legacy of John Strong, a Revolutionary War patriot. Together, these sites showcase Addison’s rich history and the community’s commitment to preserving its heritage. From the strategic importance of the Chimney Point State Historic Site to the tranquil escape offered by D.A.R. State Park, Addison remains a captivating destination for history enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.Click the video player to learn more.

ADDISON, Vt. —

Just a short drive away, D.A.R. State Park spans 95 acres of serene landscapes, offering 71 campsites, a pavilion, and a peaceful rocky beach. Madeline Smith, the assistant park manager, describes it as “pure bliss during the summer.” The park is not only a recreational haven but also a preservation of the legacy of John Strong, a Revolutionary War patriot.

Together, these sites showcase Addison’s rich history and the community’s commitment to preserving its heritage. From the strategic importance of the Chimney Point State Historic Site to the tranquil escape offered by D.A.R. State Park, Addison remains a captivating destination for history enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.

Click the video player to learn more.