Vermont's Tercentenary Report tells us of the events at Burlington...1"Never was there a finer day for a great celebration within or without the State, than Thursday, July 8, the great day at Burlington. Never before had such a great crowd gathered in any one place in Vermont. Never before were there so many famous men assembled in any town or city of this commonwealth. The midsummer day dawned clear and cool and the city was attired in gala dress to meet the crowds which began at an early hour to arrive in the city by every possible means of conveyance, in teams, in automobiles, by electric cars, by steam railways, on steamboats, on private yachts and all kinds of sailing craft. The number of people in Burlington on that day has been variously estimated at from forty to sixty thousand persons. The first event of the formal program was the arrival of President Taft and the official party from Plattsburgh...

It was about eleven o'clock when the steamer Ticonderoga with the official guests reached the wharf of the Lake Champlain Yacht Club at the foot of College Street... A brief reception to the President and party was held in the parlors of the Lake Champlain Yacht Club, after which automobiles and carriages were taken and the distinguished guests escorted to City Hall Park by the First Regiment Vermont National Guard, Col. J. Gray Estey commanding, and Troop A, 11th United States Cavalry, Captain John Haines commanding, through throngs of enthusiastic people to the seats when had been provided on the grandstand erected for the literary exercises.
As President Taft and the distinguished guests took their places they confronted a throng of from twenty-five to thirty thousand people which completely filled the areas of the park and the surrounding streets...
(Click on the thumbnails to see a full-size image). Immediately following the literary exercises the President, and Governors Prouty and Hughes, reviewed the military and civic parade. The reviewing party were transferred by automobile to the reviewing stand, which had been erected on the Park facing St. Paul Street... Following the military review President Taft and party and other distinguished guests were escorted to the Ethan Allen Club House, where a luncheon was given by Governor Prouty. The large assembly hall, in which tables were placed, was decorated with flowers, palms, bunting and flags. The tables were arranged in the form of the letter H, President Taft being seated in the center facing Governor Prouty. At the same time luncheon was being served in the University of Vermont gymnasium to members of the New York Commission and the New York Legislature...
Shortly after four o'clock in the afternoon the Indian pageants were given in front of the large grandstand which had been erected at the foot of College Street on the waterfront...

The floating island was equipped with electric lights, carrying its own power, and the pageants at night were even more realistic than those depicted in the day time. At Burlington the island was anchored at the end of two docks, enclosed the water between the piers, and from the commodious grandstand, seating over 5,000 people, the audiences were given the spectacle under the most favorable conditions.
Between five and six o'clock President Taft and some of the other distinguished guests were taken about the city in automobiles. The headquarters of the President and his party were at the home of ex-Governor U.A. Woodbury. Ambassador Bryce was entertained by Henry Holt, and Ambassador Jusserand was the guest of Hon. C.H. Darling. Other distinguished guests were entertained by the State at Grass Mount, once the home of Governor Cornelius P. Van Ness, and now used as one of the dormitories of the University of Vermont. During the evening the Indian pageants were given again in front of the grandstand on the lake front and there was also a brilliant display of fireworks from the breakwater."1
Continued here...  1 THE TERCENTENARY CELEBRATION OF THE DISCOVERY OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN AND VERMONT: A Report to the General Assembly of the State of Vermont. 1910: Issued by the Lake Champlain Tercentenary Commission of Vermont. Montpelier, Vermont: The Capital City Press LA GRANDE SEMAINE: FÊTES DU TROISIÈME CENTENAIRE DE LA DÉCOUVERTE DU LAC CHAMPLAIN. 1909: RÉDIGÉ PAR J.-ARTHUR FAVREAU. Secrétaire de la Société Historique Franco-Américaine. Worcester, Massachusetts: Compagnie De Publication Belisle. |
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