Santa Champ Ornament

Champlain between New York and Vermont. For over 400 years, Champ has been sighted continuously in the country’s fourth largest lake, which covers 222 square miles. In the early 1600s, Champ’s existence was reported by explorers and even Samuel de Champlain himself may have first seen it in the St. Lawrence estuary. Native Americans referred to Champ as “Tatoskok,” and it figures in their oral traditions and rock carvings. Ancient petroglyphs in Vermont thought to be over 3,000 years old depict a creature that is suggestive of Champ. Throughout the 19th Century, many group sightings took place from the steamships which were a primary means of transportation at the time. In the 1870s, widespread disappearance of livestock from the shores of Lake Champlain was attributed to Champ’s appetite. By 1873, it achieved such widespread fame that PT Barnum offered $50,000 for Champ’s hide. More recently, Champ has been witnessed by the passengers and crew of a large tourist vessel and also by fishermen aboard smaller craft. The most famous photograph of Champ was taken a family on vacation in 1977 and appears to show a partially submerged body with a long curved neck Most observers have characterized Champ as a “snakelike” and having 3 or 4 humps that undulate as it moves through the water. Estimates of Champ’s length generally vary between 25 and 35 feet. While there is little definitive proof of Champ’s existence, the many persuasive anecdotal accounts prompted the legislatures of both New York and Vermont to pass resolutions to protect this enigmatic creature. Champ Day is held yearly in Port Henry, New York.