The Church Street Marketplace is Burlington’s hub of activity with entertainment, festivals, historical architecture, and plenty of places to shop or eat in the area.
In 2003, both the north and south lights were reactivated.īurlington is Vermont’s largest city that offers plenty of activities, events, specialty shops, restaurants, artists galleries, museums, and places to hike and bike around the area. Both lighthouses were rebuilt to withstand the weather elements that destroyed the earlier versions while keeping the original structural pleasing designs intact. After years of using only ugly skeletal towers, funding was raised primarily with the help of Senator Patrick Leahy, and the north and south towers were rebuilt to their original structures from old photos along with additional reconstruction of the breakwater. Its wreck is frequently explored by divers.īoth north and middle wooden lights were rebuilt using steel in 1925, and the south light was replaced with steel in 1950. Near the north end of the Burlington Breakwater, the Burlington Bay Horse Ferry, believed to be the only known surviving example of a turntable “team-boat”, sank during a fierce storm. You'll also find more stories about Keeper James Wakefield from the previous blog. There are marker buoys at the both ends of the shipwreck, which is located on the near the southern portion of the breakwater.įor more details of this event, select the "General Butler Rescue" link above, which will take you to my Lighthouse Stories blog. The wreck of the General Butler is now a State of Vermont Underwater Historic Preserve. The local lighthouse Keeper, James Wakefield and his son, saw the incident and were able to rescue everyone using a rowboat to bring them ashore. The ship’s captain was able to get his passengers and crew to safety on the breakwater. On Decemduring a fierce storm, the 80-foot schooner, the General Butler, crashed into the breakwater. There are also shipwrecks near both ends of the breakwater.
The keeper’s house remained unoccupied for nearly ten years before it was auctioned off and moved ashore. In 1875, a keeper’s dwelling was built on the breakwater, but being so close to the waterfront, the keepers simply stayed ashore and would row out to the lighthouse. In 1870, the northern lighthouse burned to the ground, and in 1876 a fierce storm knocked over the southern light. Over the years, the wooden structures could not survive the constant elements of strong winds, ice, and even fires. Wooden lighthouses were first placed on both ends of the breakwater in 1857, and in 1890 a lighthouse was also placed in the middle of the breakwater. By the late 1800’s, it had grown to nearly 4200 feet long. A 1,000 foot breakwater was completed in 1854, and gradually was extended as the waterfront continued to grow.
With the increased shipping trade, came the need for a breakwater to protect mariners from the constant weather changes and storms. Burlington became the third largest port for lumber shipping coming mainly from Canada. With the completion of the Champlain Canal which connected the Hudson River and Lake Champlain. Both are best viewed from one of the many tour boats out of the harbor. Lighthouses are located at both ends of the breakwater along Burlington Harbor.