Every Monday we share an image on the Essex on Lake Champlain Facebook page and invite our viewers to play some Vintage Essex Trivia. Do you recognize the site in this painting? How about the artist? Do you spy their signature?
Here’s what the community already had to say:
Christine Herrmann: Haven’t seen this one before, but I do recognize the artist’s signature!
Rich Warner: Whallon’s Bay, long before my time
This is a painting of the old stump bridge in Whallons Bay. We previously shared a photograph of this bridge here if you’d like to take a look. To my understanding it is no longer there today.
Local artist Sid Couchey painted this work and we do know some about its origins. Below is an excerpt from Rosslyn Redux where the painting was originally shared by owner Heidi Labate:
“I have an original oil painting done by Sid Couchey in the mid to late 1950’s. It is off old stump bridge in Whallons Bay. Sid gifted the painting to my grandfather when my grandfather was the lay minister at the church in Essex, NY. I would love more information and / or to sell it to someone from the area who would appreciate it fully. I reside in Burlington , Vt.” (Source: Heidi Labate, July 29, 2016 via “Old Stump Bridge in Whallons Bay“, Rosslyn Redux)
Do you have any further insight into the bridge and its creation and/or destruction? Any other thoughts to share on the painting? Please leave a comment below!
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If you want to share your old photos of Essex (or brochures; postcards; menus; tickets; any artifact) on the blog please email us at editor [AT] essexonlakechamplain [DOT] com.
Did you see the picture of the old stump bridge down in Whallons Bay. I think it was still there when we first started going up to the Lake. (1950). It was just past the green camp (Houghtons) at the mailbox corner(corner of Lake Shore road and Albee Lane) on the right as you head toward Rock Whallon. Freckles Palmer lived in the next house – Dick Williams ended up buying that place. And then there was the big field and Harry Albee’s place (now known as Gary’s farm house). Dick Williams built a big trout pond where the stream entered the Lake! The old stump bridge was there…so the road could cross the stream.
Thanks, Sally Holloway, for sharing these detailed memories! I’d love to learn more about that trout pond. Was it located right alongside the road?