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Get ready to celebrate our historyFirst published: Sunday, November 20, 2005 |
If how history treats us depends to a degree on how we treat history, maybe it's time for an arched eyebrow of concern.
The Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentenniel Commission is just getting started on plans for the 2009 celebration of the 400th anniversary of the voyages of discovery by Henry Hudson and Samuel de Champlain, and the 200th anniversary of Robert Fulton's first steamboat ride from New York City to Albany. That's only three years from now.
Time and money are tight. So far, the state has committed $150,000 in this fiscal year toward the event with more presumably to follow, but who knows. Private sponsors are desperately needed for things like a a $3 million Clermont replica to be ready in time.
Thank goodness we already have an excellent replica of the Half Moon seaworthy and sailing. By comparison, consider that during the blowout 1909 celebration of what was then just the Hudson-Fulton Tricentennial, the state appropriated $1 million, and millions more in private funds were raised from New York City to Troy and Cohoes.
Now there was a celebration befitting the importance of Hudson's discovery, which was us. The eyes of the world were on New York. Parties, parades and festooned streets from the Battery to Cohoes, the likes of which were never seen before, nor have they since.
For one solid week in October, we were the news, all over the world. Tall ships stood in New York harbor while replicas of the Half Moon and Clermont accompanied Gov. Charles Evans Hughes on a tour of every town on the Hudson. Royalty attended, and so did President Taft.
Again by way of comparison, look at what our Canadian friends are doing. Quebec is celebrating its 400th anniversary in 2008, on a budget of $115 million.
And all these celebrations, Quebec's, New York's and the Vermont Champlain Quadricentennial are historically linked.
Six weeks ago, Barbara Fratianni, who has extensive experience with the Hudson River Estuary Program, was named executive director of the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial Commission. She tells me not to worry so much. It's coming together.
"Obviously there were those close to this project feeling the time pressure, but I was heartened to find that we are about on the same time schedule as the great event in 1909. They didn't get started planning theirs until 1906," she said. Officially, says the director, the commission is charged with executing eight major events from New York City to Albany in 2009 between July 4, when Champlain discovered his lake, and Oct. 4, the approximate date Hudson was pulling anchor for home.
In addition, the commission is coordinating, encouraging, promoting and educating a full range of regional activities throughout the Hudson Valley and the upper Hudson, through the Champlain Canal, along the shores of Lake Champlain in two states, and finally tying in with Quebec and the remnants of its celebration.
It's ambitious, particularly with so little time and a shortage of funds. Not to mention facing unknowns like squaring up a zillion border crossings with our newfound homeland security concerns, and an upper Hudson theoretically in full dredging mode at that time.
This is going to be exciting to watch.
Fred LeBrun can be reached at 454-5453 or by e-mail at flebrun@timesunion.com.