Every Town Has Stories

Day 29  |  Whitehall 

Whitehall (NY) has a rich history and we caught glimpses of it yesterday when we docked behind the Skenesborough Museum. We checked their website for hours of operation and were excited to spend some time there this morning. We first walked the grounds, reading the displays, historical markers, and monuments. By 11:00 the thermometer on the bank sign was reading 83 degrees -- not quite as warm as it was back home -- and we were ready to go inside and enjoy the air conditioning for a while. At the front door, our plan was thwarted as, for no reason or explanation, the doors were locked and the place was dark and unstaffed. Oh, well. On to Plan B.

Walking back to Crossroads, we passed a strange Sasquatch statue. It had no sign or notation, but Barry said Hello to it anyway and we took the obligatory picture. We had seen Sasquatch Saloon yesterday on our way back from Skene Manor, but didn't really pay attention to it. Then we got to wondering what's going on with all these Sasquatch references. Thanks to Google, we tracked down a siting in 1976 complete with the original police sketch. Since then the Sasquatch legend has grown and there was even a Half Marathon and 5K here last weekend. Wish I had known -- I would have loved to do 3.1 miles just for the shirt.

We decided to walk to the cash-and-carry marketplace and pick up a few fruits and veggies. Since they didn't take credit cards and we had to lug everything back, our purchases were thankfully limited. Vintage advertisements painted on abandoned buildings caught our eye. We also passed the remains of the USS Ticonderoga. The sky darkened, the wind picked up, and we could hear thunder in the distance. The rain lasted for three hours or so, but is supposed to cool everything off and cut the humidity for tomorrow's trek through Lock 12 and into Lake Champlain.

 

All along the Champlain Canal, we have stayed at free docks offered by towns putting out the welcome mat for visitors. Barry and I always walked these spots and were eager to learn of their history. At the same time, their present is not so bright. As water transportation has given way to cars and the internet, these towns struggle and the vacancy rates are high along Main Street. The whole situation reminds me of the scene from Cars and the song Our Town by James Taylor. In a strange twist here in Whitehall, the Amish community is actually leading a revitalization of sorts as they move in and turn old dormant farms back into ones that are thriving. As we crossed the busy intersection of Route 4 and Broadway, we were captivated by the rhythmic and powerful stride of the horse pulling the buggy up the hill as tractor trailers zoomed alongside. Wouldn't be ironic if the Amish traditions breathe life into a town that time has passed by?

Main street isn't main street anymore
Lights don't shine as brightly as they shone before
Tell the truth, lights don't shine at all
In our town

Main street isn't main street anymore
No one seems to need us like they did before
It's had to find a reason left to stay
But it's our town
Love it anyway
Come what may, it's our town