National Register of Historic Places

Chipman's Point

Orwell, Addison County, Vermont
Listed
December 26, 1996
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
96001519

About this property

Chipman's Point is a historic 19th-century ferry complex on Chipman Point Road in Orwell, Vermont. The complex includes two early 19th-century stone warehouses, a former Lake Champlain ferry landing site (used until 1975), and the foundational remains of the Chipman Point Hotel. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. Chipman's Point is located on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain, in its narrow southern reach opposite Wright, New York. Chipman Point Road leads to the area from Vermont Route 73A, and ends at a former ferry landing slip, now used as a local boat launch and fishing site. To the south of the landing, in an area now occupied by a local marina, stand two large four-story stone warehouses, built on limestone outcrops directly on the lakeshore. On a terraced rise above the two warehouses are the foundational remnants of the Chipman Point Hotel. The warehouses and hotel ruins are composed mainly of local limestone, which probably came from quarry sites on nearby stone outcrops. At the middle of the 19th century, Chipman's Point was one of Orwell's largest and busiest economic and commercial centers, with a church, post office, hotel, and residences, all oriented toward the ferry and shipping business. The warehouses were built to store goods awaiting passage by ship or to be picked up for local delivery, and the hotel (which burned in 1952) served travelers. The importance of the lake for transportation declined after the arrival of the railroad in the region in 1849, and even the ferry service across the lake was discontinued in 1975. National Register of Historic Places listings in Addison County, Vermont

Location

Orwell, Addison County, Vermont
43.79983, -73.37512

Categories

COMMERCEARCHITECTUREMARITIME HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Mount Independence
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2 mi
Wilcox-Cutts House
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3.6 mi
First Congregational Church
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3.7 mi
Larrabee's Point Complex
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3.9 mi
Hand's Cove
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4.7 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Fort Carillon Approaches (1758)
1758Colonial
1.5 mi
Battle of Fort Carillon Approach 1758
1758Colonial
1.9 mi
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga (Allen and Arnold)
1775Revolutionary War
2.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Chipman's Point listed on the National Register?

Chipman's Point was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 26, 1996.

What type of historic resource is Chipman's Point?

Chipman's Point is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Chipman's Point?

The period of significance for Chipman's Point is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Chipman's Point?

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