Honor Lake George Steamboat

April 15, 2017 WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that the quality of life of the citizens of the State of New York is greatly enriched by its exceptional cultural, educational and recreational institutions; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend the Lake George Steamboat Company upon the occasion of its 200th Anniversary to be celebrated with a myriad of events throughout the year; and WHEREAS, The first commercially successful steamboat service in America was inaugurated by Robert Fulton, whose steam-powered paddle boat, the "Clermont," sailed up the Hudson River from New York City to Albany, arriving at the state capital on August 19, 1807, after 32 hours running time; and WHEREAS, On April 15, 1817, the Lake George Steamboat Company was incorporated by the New York State Legislature to operate commercial shipping on Lake George; and WHEREAS, The first Lake George steamboat, christened the "James Caldwell," was launched in 1817, and was constructed on the canal-boat lines that characterized the boats of the time; it is recorded she was equipped with two long boilers and a unique brick smokestack; and WHEREAS, The "James Caldwell" was followed in 1824, by the side wheeler "Mountaineer," and in 1850, by the "John Jay"; and WHEREAS, A new vessel, launched in the spring of 1857, was christened the "Minne-Ha-Ha"; she was the first vessel to resemble what might be called a modern steamboat; she had two decks, the upper deck being covered aft and open forward, and had a capacity of about 400 passengers; and WHEREAS, Following the Civil War, through a series of transportation consolidations, the Lake George Steamboat Company became part of the Delaware and Hudson Railroad System, serving as a link in its New York City to Canada operations; a railroad branch ran from Glens Falls to Lake George and passengers stepped off the train and onto the steamers for the trip up the lake to Ticonderoga; and WHEREAS, The Delaware & Hudson railroad owned and operated the Lake George passenger boats for 68 years; during that time the company built the finest of sidewheel steamboats such as the "Sagamore" and the "Horicon II"; and WHEREAS, The Great Depression of the 1930s drastically reduced the Lake George passenger business and the advent of World War II brought the boat business to its knees; the Delaware & Hudson scrapped the "Sagamore" and "Horicon II"; its remaining vessel, the "Mohican," was sold to Captain George Stafford and ran a limited summer schedule during the war years; and WHEREAS, Captain Wilbur Dow, who acquired the Lake George Steamboat Company after World War II, renovated the "Mohican" in 1947, and again in 1967; two years later, he built the sternwheeler "Minne-Ha-Ha"; following an 11-year construction effort, the "Lac du Saint Sacrement" was placed in service in 1989; and WHEREAS, Today, after 200 years of continuous service, the mighty "Mohican," "Minne-Ha-Ha," and "Lac du Saint Sacrement" transport tourists and locals back in time on spectacular adventures through the deep, clear water of the most majestic Adirondack body of water, Lake George; and WHEREAS, It is with great pleasure that this Legislative Body acknowledges this exceptional business and its contributions to the local and State economies, fully confident that it will continue to enjoy the sparkling successes it has experienced thus far; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commend the Lake George Steamboat Company upon the occasion of celebrating its 200th Anniversary on April 15, 2017; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the Dow Family.