The Champ folklore has captured the imagination of thousands of Vermont residents throughout the years. The folklore goes back to the indigenous Abenaki people, who had legends of mysterious creatures roaming Lake Champlain before Samuel de Champlain arrived. The illustrious career of Champ, in part to the sightings and extrapolation, has grown into the state’s eternal conscience, with an entire market dedicated to a dormant lake monster. Allegedly the lake monster(s?) prowled about in Lake Champlain for centuries, and to this day, much mystery and intrigue surround the myth of Champ.
lakechamplainregion.com The most famous purported sighting of Champ comes from a photo (above) taken in 1977. On July 5th, 1977, Sandra Mansi took this photo, appearing to show an unusual and large lake creature in Lake Champlain. By the 1990s, there were over 150 reported sightings of Champ, with around 600 people claiming to have witnessed the monster.
Christian Collins/flickr According to historians, Champ belonged to the garfish class, which also include lake sturgeons. Champ’s description, although larger than garfish, fits well into this class of fish. But this doesn’t explain all the sightings of large, sometimes 25 to 35 feet long, “serpent-like” creatures. The mystery lives on.
BRad06/wikipedia For die-hard Champers, this photo will surely ruffle some feathers (or fins). This model supposes that the famous 1977 photo of champ could’ve just been a conveniently shaped log. I guess we’ll never know for sure.
BRad06/wikipedia Whether these sightings and photos prove the existence of Champ, the significance of this lake creature and its folklore lives on indelibly in our culture. From Champ lake monster-themed playgrounds to books and merchandise, Champ remains a part of daily life in Vermont. There’s even a minor league baseball team named after the creature: The Vermont Lake Monsters.
What do you think of the legend of Champ? Let us know what you think by leaving a remark in the comment section below.
lakechamplainregion.com
The most famous purported sighting of Champ comes from a photo (above) taken in 1977. On July 5th, 1977, Sandra Mansi took this photo, appearing to show an unusual and large lake creature in Lake Champlain. By the 1990s, there were over 150 reported sightings of Champ, with around 600 people claiming to have witnessed the monster.
Christian Collins/flickr
According to historians, Champ belonged to the garfish class, which also include lake sturgeons. Champ’s description, although larger than garfish, fits well into this class of fish. But this doesn’t explain all the sightings of large, sometimes 25 to 35 feet long, “serpent-like” creatures. The mystery lives on.
BRad06/wikipedia
For die-hard Champers, this photo will surely ruffle some feathers (or fins). This model supposes that the famous 1977 photo of champ could’ve just been a conveniently shaped log. I guess we’ll never know for sure.
Whether these sightings and photos prove the existence of Champ, the significance of this lake creature and its folklore lives on indelibly in our culture. From Champ lake monster-themed playgrounds to books and merchandise, Champ remains a part of daily life in Vermont. There’s even a minor league baseball team named after the creature: The Vermont Lake Monsters.
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Address: Lake Champlain, Lake Champlain
