A Message from Commission Chair Clara Lou Gould
In 2009 we will have an opportunity to commemorate events which changed the world: While searching for the fabled Northwest Passage, Henry Hudson explored the majestic river later named for him, which began the New Netherland settlements in the Hudson Valley. Samuel de Champlain explored the beautiful lake later named for him, which started the New France colonies along its shores. Robert Fulton's successful steamboat voyage, a technology that initated a new era of travel and commerce on the Hudson River. These were also among the first contacts in the New World with Native Americans and their rich heritage.
A key paragraph in the legislation states: "...These four hundredth anniversaries and the years preceding them offer great opportunities to inspire and educate particularly the young people of the state, to increase recognition and appreciation of the Hudson River and Lake Champlain and the diverse communities that developed along the Hudson River and Lake Champlain over four centuries and to develop a thriving natural and cultural tourism economy." The Commission's charge is a grand one and we plan to meet it.
Our goal is to encourage people to get involved in commemorating the rich history of these incredibly beautiful areas of New York State, to encourage improvements to make it possible to enjoy them to the fullest. With the help of cultural, educational and heritage organizations, state agencies and communities and citizens we will make this commemoration spectacular and provide a lasting tangible legacy we all can enjoy.
The journey to 2009 will be a fantastic one, we hope you will join us for this once in a lifetime anniversary year.
Clara Lou Gould
Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial
Commission Chair