Associated Press - May 11, 2009 2:55 AM ET
CROWN POINT, N.Y. (AP) - Work is nearly complete on a more than $2 million project to refurbish the state-owned Champlain Memorial Lighthouse in time to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Samuel de Champlain's exploration of the region.
The project has included conservation of a bronze plaque created by French sculptor Auguste Rodin (ah-GOOST' roh-DAN') and building a short road over the remains of an 18th-century fortification on the Lake Champlain shoreline.
The Rodin bust was a gift from the French government when the Champlain Memorial opened in 1912.
Work on the monument began last year at the state-owned Crown Point campground located on the Vermont border 95 miles north of Albany.
Crews have spent months cleaning and repairing the 72-foot-tall granite monument and renovating a nearby pier.
The memorial is expected to reopen in late May. A rededication ceremony is set for Sept. 19.
On the Net:
Crown Point Campground: http://www.dec-campgrounds.com
Crown Point State Historic Site: http://nysparks.state.ny.us
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