Does Lake Champlain harbor a monster?

Port Henry sure thinks so. They celebrate his existence with their Annual Champ Day celebration, the first Saturday in August.

Our resident monster, affectionately known as "Champ" or the nickname "Champy," has been sighted for as long as people have been in this part of the Adirondacks.

Old stories of the Native American tribes that lived near Lake Champlain confirm that they believed a "horned serpent" lived in the lake.

A possible theory regarding these beliefs centers around Split Rock, in Essex, New York, which features natural rock structures that resemble petrified snakes.

Go and see it. It's a great place to hike.

If you are fortunate, you can place your name on the Big Board of Champ Sightings.

In any case, you can always participate in the annual Champ Day, the first Saturday of August.

The year 1873 was quite a year for Champ hunting, with several sightings of Champ by a railroad crew, passengers of a steamship, and a small boy fishing.

All of this publicity predated that of the Loch Ness monster, "Nessie," whose first modern sighting is considered to be July 22, 1933.

A recent picture of Champ was taken in November of 2000, and of course there is the famous "Mansi photograph."

Searching for Champ

Champ Becomes a Celebrity

Champ History - From Ancient Times

Champ History - Modern

The Possible Science

The Champ Search Continues

Annual Champ Day

Champ Quest, for Champ Sighting Information