Every Monday we share a vintage image on the Essex on Lake Champlain Facebook page and invite our viewers to play some Vintage Essex Trivia. The photo above we shared with the public last week.
Do you recognize the girl in this photo? Do you know where she is? When do you think the photo was taken?
If you look for clues you can see the caption on the top and bottom identify the last two points for you: The numbers “7-18-35” on the top identify the date as July 18, 1935; and “Ferry across L.Champlain” at the bottom tells us the girl is standing on a ferry on Lake Champlain. Additionally, the lifeboat next to her identifies that ferry as the Plattsburgh.
Have you ever ridden on this ferry? What more can you tell us?
We heard from one member of the community who immediately recognized the ferry and had some family history to share:
Mary Wade: The ferry is the PLATTSBURGH and was owned and operated by my grandfather, Captain Wally Mock. The lady looks like one of his daughters but I was only 2 yrs old in 35 so can’t be sure. My father Harold Mock was the pilot and my uncle Harold Tart was deck hand.
What do you think? Do you see a Mock family resemblance in the girl in the photo? Or do you propose a different identification?
The back of the photograph has some writing on it that tells us a bit more. It reads: “On ferry across Lake Champlain. Left Essex and went across to Cedar Beach, Vermont. Thurs. July 18.”
Cedar Beach is also in Charlotte, Vermont, but looking at a map it is South of the current Charlotte ferry dock. So at some point that was moved to its new location. Do you know when?
Do you know the fate of this Plattsburgh ferry? Is it still in operation or has it been retired in some way? [Note: LCT does have a Plattsburgh ferry in operation, but it was built in 1984, and the ferry in the photo is a different, older ferry.]
Do you have anything to add? Please leave a comment!
Share Your Essex Artifacts
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.
Related articles
- Vintage Photo: Steamer Vermont (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
- Lake Champlain Winterscapes (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
- Visions of Summer in Essex 2015 (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Leave a Reply