Summertime is all things nautical: boating, swimming, fishing, and just enjoying our “Beautiful Waters”. To chronicle the history of our great lake, the Goodrich Library will mount an exhibit, from June 22 through September 5, highlighting boating on the lake from the early days to the present. Boats, railroads, hotels and the lumber industry, all contributed to Newport’s “Splendid Years” of prosperity.

The inspiration for this exhibit is a colorful folk art painting of Memphremagog and Newport by Norman Bessette, who now resides in California, but grew up here in Newport. We appreciate his generous donation that includes the painting that he created of several historic boats on the lake and hope he enjoys his visit here this summer.

During the exhibit high resolution, limited edition, reproductions of A Bird’s Eyeview, Newport, Vt. 1881 lithograph, will be offered for sale. This aerial view of early Newport includes both steamers: the Lady of the Lake and the Mountain Maid. We want to acknowledge and thank Don Whipple, at the Don Whipple Studio, for his technical assistance and generosity in the preparation of the prints that will be available for sale as a fund raiser for the Goodrich Memorial Library.

Quoting from Emily Nelson’s Frontier Crossroads, “Being on Lake Memphremagog, the beautiful thirty-mile-long lake in both the United States and Canada, rimmed by scenic mountains and sprinkled with islands, is as pleasurable today as it was in days gone by.”

Please join us at the Goodrich this summer for a stroll through Newport’s historic connection with Lake Memphremagog. This exhibit is free and open to all during regular library hours (10am – 6pm Monday – Friday, 10am – 3pm Saturday) For information call 334-7902. The library is handicapped accessible.