The Lois McClure was retired in 2023 and transferred the Canal Society of New York State. Please contact them for further details regarding this process.
The schooner Lois McClure was the Museum’s full-scale replica of an 1862-class sailing canal boat, based on two shipwrecks located in Lake Champlain. This replica project was initiated in 2001 with the goal to understand our region’s unique 1862-class sailing canal schooner; how it was built and operated; and the economic, cultural, and personal impact the canals had on our region and people.
After 20 years of service, the replica canal schooner Lois McClure retired in October 2023. The Lois McClure was an important teaching tool of the museum and this final stage of the replica project gives us the opportunity to explore how canal boat owners would have evaluated, repaired, and retired their own canal boats in our past. The Museum documented the entirety of this project through an archiving project including archaeological evaluations, oral histories, testimonials, and more to truly evaluate and understand the impact of this replica and our region’s sailing canal boat history.
Learn more about the Lois McClure or dig into the Archiving Project and share your own memories and insights using the links below:
